Buy American, unions urge Ohio lawmakers

By Marc Kovac

The unions had a press conference at the Statehouse to push home the point.

COLUMBUS — Union members had a simple message for lawmakers during a visit to the Statehouse on Thursday: Buy American.

And representatives of the AFL-CIO and United Steelworkers hope lawmakers will take further steps to solidify provisions in the federal stimulus package aimed at spending taxpayer funds at U.S. companies.

“The idea is to stimulate the economy in the United States,” said Billy Boyce, sub-district director for the United Steelworkers. “It’s not about stimulating the economy in China, Russia or Mexico or anyplace else. It’s for the United States.”

He added, “We’re using American tax dollars to rebuild the infrastructure in the United States. There’s no reason we shouldn’t use materials and products here in the United States [to do that].”

Boyce was among the speakers at a press conference Thursday afternoon focused on the Buy American issue. Unions are supportive of legislative resolutions formalizing lawmakers’ intentions to steer stimulus dollars to Ohio and U.S. companies.

Additionally, they’re backing an amendment to the state’s biennial operating budget that would require the online publication of information to ensure U.S. companies have adequate opportunities to bid on projects.

“We need this,” said Don Blatt, a staff representative for the United Steelworkers District 1. “This is what’s going to put our people back to work. We need to make sure that these monies are spent as much as possible in the United States.”

Advocates say such Buy America policies are even more important, given the continuing economic decline.