Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Labor Bills Appear Off The Agenda For Now

It looks like the three bills that would change the rules requiring Ohioans to pay union dues if they work union jobs have hit a snag. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles has details.

Republican State Representative Ron Maag is one of the sponsors of three bills that, if passed into law, would loosen union control over jobs now held by union members.  But he says this is not anti union legislation.
Maag-I like unions.  I support unions.  However, this is about an individual’s freedom.

Unions disagree.  Tim Burga is the head of Ohio’s largest labor organization – the A F L C I O.

Burga – Right to work states have less income, less rights, less middle class, less health care, less retirement.

Democrats, reminded of a successful ballot issue they waged to overturn a different labor law two years ago, say they will fight these new bills.  But they might not have to.  Republican Senate President Keith Faber says he doesn’t think there’s currently enough support in the general assembly to pass them.  Faber says bringing this issue up right now is a way for Democrats to generate a bunch of breathless fundraising appeals.

The Statehouse News Bureau was founded in 1980 to provide educational, comprehensive coverage of legislation, elections, issues and other activities surrounding the Statehouse to Ohio's public radio and television stations. To this day, the Bureau remains the only broadcast outlet dedicated to in-depth coverage of state government news and topics of statewide interest. The Bureau is funded througheTech Ohio, and is managed by ideastream. The reporters at the Bureau follow the concerns of the citizens and voters of Ohio, as well as the actions of the Governor, the Ohio General Assembly, the Ohio Supreme Court, and other elected officials. We strive to cover statehouse news, government issues, Ohio politics, and concerns of business, culture and the arts with balance and fairness, and work to present diverse voices and points of view from the Statehouse and throughout Ohio. The three award-winning journalists at the bureau have more than 60 combined years of radio and television experience. They can be heard on National Public Radio and are regular contributors to Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Marketplace. Every weekday, the Statehouse News Bureau produces in-depth news reports forOhio's public radio stations. Those stories are also available on this website, either on the front page or in our archives. Weekly, the Statehouse News Bureau produces a television show from our studios in the Statehouse. The State of Ohio is an unique blend of news, interviews, talk and analysis, and is broadcast on Ohio's public television stations. The Statehouse News Bureau also produces special programming throughout the year, including the Governor's annual State of the State address to the Ohio General Assembly and a five-part year-end review.