Right-to-work law still totally wrong for Ohio

Right-to-work law still totally wrong for Ohio

It’s d j vu all over again in the Ohio Statehouse as Republicans in the General Assembly have once again introduced right-to-work legislation, even though Ohioans soundly rejected similar legislation just over five years ago.

House Bill 53 would allow employees to opt out of joining unions, along with paying fair share dues. In addition, unions could choose to opt out from representing these employees. This appears to be fair legislation but it is more smoke and mirrors by Republican legislators who are content with continually wasting Ohio tax dollars with nonsensical legislation.

The truth about HB 53 is that employees are already allowed to opt out from joining unions. Nonunion employees pay fair share dues because their compensation is based upon the compensation that unions spend money negotiating for. Though this legislation allows unions to opt out from representing those employees, this is likely to have significant consequences for all employees.

The success of an organization relies heavily on the productivity of its employees, which requires internal equity. Internal equity means providing a consistent standard. This ensures that fairness exists and wage discrimination is avoided. This says nothing of the fact that nonunion workers earn just eighty-four cents on the dollar as compared with union employees.

The truth is, right-to-work is still wrong for Ohio. Contact your legislators and urge them to defend Ohio’s labor unions.

Brian Pearson, Youngstown

Resistance grows in US to Trump’s presidency

While President Trump and his comrades stoke anger, hatred and fear among the citizenry, the outcome becomes predictable. Citizen against citizen, neighbor against neighbor, families fighting against each other while the powerful laugh all the way to the bank.

When the president mouths that any news not favorable to him is “fake news” knowing full well he is the author and perfector of fake news, then we are in serious trouble.

What can be done? Well, it is most comforting to see thousands of our fellow citizens rising up from their Lazy Boys, couches, beds and mobilize like never before to speak out against tyranny.

Will this resistance to tyranny help us to become a more perfect union? I sure hope so.

Kathleen Berry, Youngstown

Trump’s help not needed to promote pollution here

President Trump, whose mindset is in 1950, didn’t need to come to the Mahoning Valley to promote pollution via an executive order. We do enough of that without any outside encouragement.

There are about 3 miles of toxic waste, rusting cars, and rotting wood on Wilson Avenue between Campbell and Youngstown. There are fast-food wrappers and beer cans on all of our roads, streets, and fields. There are vacant buildings and houses all over the city that have been trashed.

How nice it would have been if the president had come to say that he was giving money to the organizations that are working to clean up the Mahoning River and neighborhoods to help them achieve their goal.

In the meantime, President Jimmy Carter, whose mindset is in 2017, is installing enough solar panels on his farm to provide half of Plains, Ga., with electricity.

Elizabeth J. Moore, Lowellville

Bullying Rep. Tim Ryan has no place in politics

Congratulations to U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers on his promotion to brigadier general of the Ohio National Guard. Stivers is quoted as saying that serving in the military “adds value to my congressional job”.

Of concern, however, is his militaristic view of our country’s democratic and electoral process. The Columbus Dispatch recently reported that Stivers announced that Ohio’s 13th Congressional District Rep. Tim Ryan was an “initial offensive target” of the 2018 election cycle.

The aggressive language and characterization of a fellow U.S. representative as an enemy is disturbing. Stivers also noted of Ryan and other early targets that “Some will move our way. If Tim does his job, he can move his district off the target list”.

We thought that an elected official’s job was to represent his constituents in Congress. As Rep. Ryan has held the 13th District’s seat since 2003, it would appear that he has done his job very well.

Rep. Stivers’ threatening statements sound like bullying – “go along with us, or else”. This attitude is likely valued in the military, but should have no place in our electoral process or in the legislature at any level.

Mark & Amy Predieri, Sunbury

Pruitt is unconventional – but right – choice for EPA

There has been much criticism over President Donald Trump’s Cabinet selections, and rightfully so. But give criticism where it is due. Scott Pruitt was chosen by Trump to lead the EPA, and contrary to the left-wing belief that Pruitt is wrong for the EPA, he is not. Indeed Pruitt had previously filed lawsuits against the government agency – 14 to be exact – but this is not the entire story.

Pruitt will lead the EPA properly. He believes the agency should act constitutionally and within its boundaries. In a 2013 speech, Pruitt stated “there is a proper role for the EPA to regulate on issues with respect to clean water and air that cross state lines.”

Pruitt will be an unconventional EPA leader, but he will act surely, and he will act where the EPA should act. He had challenged EPA regulations as the attorney general of Oklahoma where he saw them intervene outside of legal, unconstitutional parameters.

For those who don’t recall, or fully understand, the EPA in theory is this wonderful and lovely idea. But that is all it has amounted to. This government agency has acted independently for much too long. Honestly, a man was deported and banished from his land for selling unpasteurized milk, which was legal in his case.

The Environmental Protection Agency needs new leadership. Pruitt will lead the organization with logic. He is the right choice.

Tyler Rothbauer, Canfield

Adopt pothole from county to save our streets, vehicles

Living in western Mahoning County is a chore when you need to get to Youngstown for anything these days. The roads will kill any suspension system on any good vehicle. There have been several stories in the news media on the lack of funds for repair of the county roads and no more funds in the revenue stream to be had.

As a 100 percent service-connected disabled veteran with gratis plates on my car, I feel helpless in that I do not pay for license tags here in Ohio. In a way, I have already paid for them with my service but my car in time will pay for its service on these western Mahoning County roads.

It would be far more less expensive to send a check of a few dollars to the county than to replace the shocks and struts on my car from damage or early fatigue from excessive wear ($1,000).

I truly think that we as residents of this county should adopt a pothole. With an adoption of your favorite pothole, a check of a small amount could be sent to Mahoning County earmarked for county road repair. I have not adopted a pothole yet, but I do have a few favorites on North 12th Street that are candidates. When I do adopt them, I can then name them and even post them on a Facebook page. I can visit them every time I need to get to state Route 14 on my way to the VA clinic in Youngstown.

Clifford Hayes, Sebring