Senate Republicans say “NO” to education, labor unions with budget ax

June 4, 2009 - Not only did Senate Republicans gut the governor’s education plan in their version of the budget, but more importantly for labor unions, they also rejected just about every labor proposal in the House and Governor’s versions of the bill.

Specifically for OCSEA, the Senate took out language that would allow DR&C to take over the North Coast Treatment Center--currently a private prison--at a major cost savings to taxpayers. Senators also put back language that would prevent workers in community correctional facilities from being able to organize.

In one of the most egregious changes, however, Senate Republicans stripped Capital Square Review and Advisory employees of their collective bargaining rights. In recent weeks, “Cap Square” employees have protested the use of inmate labor at the Statehouse that would in effect replace groundskeepers and custodians who had recently been laid off there. The Senate bill version would move all Statehouse employees to the legislative branch of government, which is not covered under Ohio’s collective bargaining agreement.

After putting back in the budget some of their own pet projects, including massive charter school funding, the Senate, in a final flourish, cut state agencies by almost a billion dollars, including $28 million from DR&C to fund sentencing reform.

“It’s obvious from these cuts and language changes, the Senate has decided to engage in the kind of partisanship that voters have said they are tired of,” said OCSEA President Eddie L. Parks. “OCSEA will not stand idle and watch a group of our elected leaders play games with life-saving state services and our members’ jobs.”

OCSEA recently joined the Campaign to Protect Ohio’s Future, which is a coalition of social service agencies that have all agreed that new revenue must be raised to deal with the state’s shrinking budget.

While the group is not recommending any specific revenue enhancements, they agree that something has to be done to fill a budget hole that is expected to be more than $3 billion dollars over the next two years.

OCSEA activists will be monitoring the budget bill as it moves to conference committee since it is expected that new revenue estimates will be lower and could mean even further cuts.

Please check your union publications and website for updated information on the budget through June.

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New budget forecast grim; OCSEA leaders brace for news

OCSEA activists informed public, gathered petition signatures to oppose displacement of laid-off Statehouse workers with inmates