We Are Ohio begins ad campaign to repeal SB 5

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.coms

COLUMBUS

It starts with a shot of a house on fire, with two firefighters hurrying to the scene.

It’s followed by comments from Doug Stern, a Cincinnati firefighter, who urges Ohioans to vote no on Senate Bill 5 to repeal the collective-bargaining law that opponents say strips negotiating powers from 350,000-plus public workers.

“Issue 2 makes it illegal for us to negotiate for enough firefighters to do the job,” Stern said.

The 45-second clip, unveiled in Columbus Friday, is the first television ad by We Are Ohio and other opponents of SB 5. It will air across the state during the Labor Day weekend and thereafter and marks the beginning of what is expected to be an ugly campaign battle between proponents and opponents.

Senate Bill 5 would place limits on collective bargaining, changing the way public workers have negotiated contract terms for nearly three decades. Among other provisions, the new law would prohibit strikes, eliminate binding arbitration and enable state and local governments and schools to base employee-pay decisions on performance, not seniority.

Proponents say the changes are needed to enable public offices to better control their costs.

Opponents call the new law a politically motivated attack by Republicans on unions that will result in reductions in the ranks of teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public servants.

The ad released Friday focuses on firefighter staffing levels. Though lawmakers included language that allows forces to negotiate for increased safety equipment, opponents say no comparable wording protects firefighters from cuts to their ranks.

“We do know that we will not be able to negotiate on staffing levels,” said Jack Reall, president of the Columbus Firefighters Local 67. “... Our No. 1 priority is to protect life. And we need staffing levels to do that. That’s what contracts are in place for.”

But proponents of the collective-bargaining changes quickly countered that message.

“The biggest threat to public safety right now are the layoffs of our good police officers and firefighters,” Jason Mauk, spokesman for Building a Better Ohio, said in a released statement. “Today local communities are struggling to balance their budgets and hard-working safety personnel are being laid off across the state. Issue 2 would provide some reasonable reforms and give local officials more tools to get costs under control and keep more of these public servants on the job. “