Confused about Issue 2? Here's the skinny!!

Issue 2 is a referendum on what is popularly known Ohio Senate Bill 5 (SB 5). To RETAIN Senate Bill 5, you vote YES. To RESCIND Senate Bill 5, you vote NO. This has been a hotly contested issue, so let’s take a look at what Senate Bill 5 does. This is the real poop. I report. You decide. (Did I say that?)

1) Issue 2/Senate Bill 5 has nothing to do with balancing the state budget in Ohio.  It has everything to do with local government and state run institutions. It applies only to unionized public employees. It does not cut veteran benefits. It does not cut senior citizen benefits. It does not apply to the 135,000 nurses in Ohio except if they work in a state run hospital. Mostly these nurses work at Ohio State University. There are approximately 2500 of them and their contract already includes most of what is in SB 5 already.

2) Senate Bill 5 first and foremost prohibits Ohio’s unionized public employees from striking. That was the rule in Ohio up until 20 years or so ago, and is the current rule for all Federal public employees. Many unionized Ohio employees are already prohibited from striking including police, firefighters, and other emergency personnel.

3) Senate Bill 5 does NOT generally prohibit collective bargaining. It changes the process. Cases may be sent to arbitration, but the decision of the arbiter, often from states like California, is not binding. The ultimate decision rests with the elected officials.

4) It does prohibit collective bargaining on specific areas, such as accumulating unused sick time and vacation time to use as a pension supplement by cashing those days in at retirement. It also requires unionized employees to pay 10% of their pension contribution and 15% of their health care costs. No more 100% contributions.

5) It does NOT prohibit collective bargaining on issues of safety and equipment as the television ads have indicated. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Cincinnati Enquirer, and the Columbus Dispatch, in editorials ENDORSING RETENTION OF SB 5 pointedly commented on the misleading television advertising by the anti SB 5 forces.

6) Senate Bill 5 DOES allow public employee union members to OPT OUT of mandatory collection of union dues by their government employer. In Indiana, more than 50% of the unionized public employees chose to opt out when similar legislation was passed.

IN ADDITION, Senate Bill 5 attempts to reform part of Ohio’s education system by requiring school systems to establish criteria for teacher hiring and retention OTHER THAN UNQUALIFIED TENURE. Although length of employment may be one of the criteria considered in determining pay and retention, systems must also consider teacher performance and effectiveness. This is popularly known as MERIT PAY. It also prohibits teacher unions from bargaining for caps on class sizes and other similar issues. Those decisions belong to local school boards.

That, in a nutshell, is what Issue 2 does. Should you vote for it? Read Opinion for my opinion.

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