Governor comes to Boardman today to receive labor endorsement

By David Skolnick | October 23, 2014 at 12:02a.m.

BOARDMAN

Gov. John Kasich is expected to pick up his third union endorsement in Boardman today.

Kasich and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, Republicans, will join officials with the Ohio Laborers’ District Council at a construction site near 8110 Market St. at 3:30 p.m. in the township.

Though Kasich’s campaign is touting this as a “special announcement” and declining comment until today, sources with information about the event said Wednesday that the construction council will endorse the governor’s re-election bid against Democrat Ed FitzGerald.

Kasich picked up his first union endorsement Oct. 9 from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18, and his second Wednesday from the Indiana-Kentucky-Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters. Those two are the only unions with representation on Kasich’s workforce board.

“It’s notable he is receiving some union support, but these are construction unions and they’re pretty happy because the governor has a capital budget and is using money borrowed against the turnpike’s tolls that require construction workers,” said Bill Binning, retired chairman of Youngstown State University’s political science department.

“These are not public unions,” the target of SB5, a bill backed by Kasich to restrict public-sector union bargaining rights. Voters overturned that bill during the November 2011 campaign.

More than 20 labor unions, including those representing public-sector employees, are backing Ed FitzGerald, Kasich’s Democratic opponent.