Ohio Workers Explode into Homestretch

We Are Ohio, the coalition working to repeal the law that would all but ban public sector collective bargaining in the state (SB 5), announced at a press conference on the steps of the Ohio Statehouse Friday that activists have collected an astonishing 714,137 total signatures in just two months! This total blows their goal of collecting 450,000 to 500,000 total signatures out of the water.  It represents over three times the number of valid signatures needed by the end of June to place the “Citizens’ Veto” of SB 5 on the November ballot.Activists reached this astonishing number with only about 22% of petitions that have been distributed actually returned and counted. 

The work is paying off so well that activists are joking that even the Governor probably signed the petition.

Meanwhile, TWU members continued their vital contribution to this successful drive.

Local 1, led by President Bernie Burkett, held a petition return drive on June 16 in which members returned 76 petitions containing over 500 signatures.  This Thursday, June 23, to kick off the final push towards the June 30 deadline, Local 1 will hold a petition circulation “drive through” in Akron from 12:00 noon until 4:00 PM.   The event is timed to coincide with a global day of action to defend “Quality Public Services” organized by the International Transport Federation, the global union with which the TWU is affiliated.  (See article for more info)  WR=HR War Room coordinator JW Johnson,  TWU’s Managing Director for Legislative and Government Affairs, will attend this special event along with War Room member and TWU Senior Counsel Dean Hubbard.

In Columbus, Local 208 sponsored a petition signing booth at a Juneteenth Festival on Saturday, June 18, and activists circulated petitions outside church services on Sunday June 19.  Local 208 activists continued to collect completed petitions and register new voters throughout the week.
Activists will gather at a major event in Columbus on June 29th, marking the Grand Finale of the successful petition drive.

We Are Ohio is a citizen-driven, community-based coalition that includes TWU members along with public and private sector workers, students, elected officials, business leaders, and community members.