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Unions And The Ballot Under Attack In Ohio

March 31, 2011

by Bob Fitrakis
Photos by Bob Studzinski

Jim Gilbert, President of the Fraternal Order of Police, Capital City Lodge 9, claims that the Republican Party’s passing of Senate Bill 5 “has woken a sleeping giant.” By a vote of 53-44, the Republican-dominated Ohio Assembly passed Senate Bill 5 on Wednesday, March 30 –- to drastically limit collective bargaining for 360,000 public union workers. The new law requires that no salary increases can be based on seniority, only on performance.

The Senate approved the final version by one vote – 17 to 16. Republican representative Louis Blessing told workers “Be glad you have a job.”

Governor John Kasich signed the bill into law Thursday March 31. His press release stated “There is a reason that the union bosses opposed these changes; because it strips power from the union leaders and returns it to the taxpayers and workers.”

A better case can be made that Kasich has long plotted with wealthy corporate backers to destroy the base of the modern Democratic Party – the unions.

The legislation rammed through in Ohio amidst demonstrations unheard of since the Great Depression caused the normally staid Republican-owned Columbus Dispatch to write “Both the House and Senate worked through an almost unheard-of amount of applause, boos, and shouts of ‘Shame on You!’ from pro-union crowds that packed the chambers and made sure lawmakers understood the magnitude of their vote.”


The legislation was prefabricated by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) which has a long affiliation with John Kasich. More then three decades ago, this corporate front masquerading as advocates of “limited government” and “free markets” began plotting to destroy the programs common in all modern industrial democracies.

ALEC’s own history points to a meeting in September 1973 that included then-Illinois State Representative Henry Hyde, conservative activist Paul Weyrich, and Lou Barnett, an operative for then-Governor Ronald Reagan’s presidential ambitions, these three created the Council. Reactionary and racist Senator Jesse Helms is also listed as one of the key founders of ALEC. ALEC’s website states that “Among those who were involved with ALEC in the formative years were…John Kasich of Ohio.”

ALEC exists to provide “model legislation” with one theme: How to transfer wealth to corporations while shrinking the size of government.

Kasich’s press release announced that “The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 5 and local governments will now have more tools to control their budgets and provide better services to you at a lower cost.”

ALEC is funded and works directly through a so-called Private Enterprise Board. Its members represent many of the largest multi-national corporations including Koch Industries, Coca-cola, Wal-Mart, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Exxon-Mobil, and State Farm insurance among others.

The focus on the Council legislative agenda and its “model legislations” read like manuals on how to destroy worker’s rights under the guise of “saving taxpayers money.”
Coincidentally, ALEC’s spring Task Force Summit, where it will plot its next round of union-busting through legislative action will be held in Cincinnati April 28-29 at the Netherland Plaza Hotel.

The point man for passage of SB5 in the House of Representatives is the House Speaker, Ohio’s William Batchelder who has been identified as a member of the secretive Council for National Policy (CNP). The New York Times described the CNP as a “little-known group of a few hundred of the most powerful conservatives in the country.” Weyrich is also a CNP member.

The Nation magazine wrote that the organization “networks wealthy right-wing donors together with top conservative operatives to plan long-term movement strategy.”

The CNP website reads “Limited government, traditional values, strong national defense.” ALEC also leads with “Limited government” and follows with “free markets, and federalism.”

In order to ensure that their union-busting and their public power grab through legislative fiat sticks, the Ohio Republican House earlier pushed through House Bill 159 that will disenfranchise nearly 900,000 voters. House Bill 159 requires all voters to produce an Ohio driver’s license with photo or state photo ID to vote. This is the most restrictive standard in the nation.

This legislation will overwhelming affect Democratic voters such as African Americans, the elderly, college students, the homeless and working poor – who are most likely to be without cars and driver’s licenses. Critics of the legislation, including the ACLU point out that this constitutes an unconstitutional poll tax and have gone so far to accuse the Republicans of stealing the next statewide Ohio election.

Even this drastic action by Ohio Republicans might not save them from the wrath of Ohio public unions and their private sector union allies in the next election. Police officers and firefighters have emerged as the most militant unions in defense of collective bargaining in Ohio and their leaders are pledging to work day and night to get the required 231,000 valid signatures of registered voters in order to freeze the bill pending a November referendum.

Unionists are also asking members and supporters to cancel their subscription to newspapers like the Columbus Dispatch that editorialized on behalf of Senate Bill 5. Boycotts are also being contemplated against the industries listed on the private enterprise board of ALEC.

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Bob Fitrakis is a Professor of Political Science at Columbus State Community College and member CSEA, the Columbus State Education Association. Originally published by The Free Press, https://freepress.org.

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Ohio GOP Sends A Stealth Death Notice To Public College Teachers Unions

by Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
April 2, 2011
An obscure clause that was slipped into Ohio’s infamous anti-union Senate Bill 5 may spell the end of collective bargaining for the state’s public college teachers.

SB-5 was passed in the face of bitter controversy and mass public demonstrations at the state capitol in Columbus. It was signed into law Thursday, March 31, by Ohio’s new extreme right-wing Governor John Kasich.

But little attention has been paid to the following clause on page 272, which reads:

“With respect to members of a faculty of a state institution of higher education, any faculty who, individually or through a faculty senate or like organization, participate in the governance of the institution, are involved in personnel decisions, selection or review of administrators, planning and use of physical resources, budget preparation, and determination of educational policies related to admissions, curriculum, subject matter, and methods of instruction and research are management level employees.”


Photograph by Bob Studzinski

The obvious intent of this language is to bar public college faculty members from belonging to a union or participating in collective bargaining. By definition, “management level employees” are not allowed to unionize or strike.

But all faculty members participate in drawing up curricula. They also, as a matter of course, help choose fellow teachers and administrators, help govern their schools and the like.

So the practical intent of this language is to bar Ohio’s public college teachers from unionizing at all by renaming their role.

As Darrell Minor puts it: “We are now management as soon as this law takes effect and we have no right to collect bargaining.” Minor is a mathematics professor at Columbus State Community College. He heads the Columbus State Educational Association, the faculty union, at a school whose enrollment now numbers around 31,000.

The faculty’s new status as “management” may also call into question the legal standing of tenure.

SB-5 is slated to become official law within 90 days. Legal challenges are already in the works. The nullification process by referendum has also begun.

But along the way, the state’s college teachers may find themselves without tenure or a union.

Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman have co-authored four books on election protection via Freepress.org, where the FITRAKIS FILES are stored. HARVEY WASSERMAN’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES is at HarveyWasserman.com. Bob is a Professor of Political Science at Columbus State Community College, where Harvey is an adjunct instructor of history.

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Fight Back April 2, 2011, Libya, Ohio Senate Bill 5, Voter Suppression

Bob Fitrakis and Connie Gadell-Newton discuss a Senate Bill that requires voters to show a government-issued photo ID at the polls, Libya, Ohio Senate Bill 5, Voter Suppression

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3/30/11 Bob and Harvey, Nuclear Meltdown, SB5, HB159

Talktainment Radio Show recorded March 30, 2011
Bob and Harvey discuss Japan, Ohio SB5 (collective bargaining) and HB159 (Jim Crow Photo ID)

http://www.talktainmentradio.com/Fight-Back/9504490?date=2011_04

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Celebrating Women Workers’ Rights, Drexel Discounts

MADE IN DAGENHAM
Celebrating women workers’ rights

Starts Friday, March 25 (Limited Engagement!) Drexel Theatre 2254 E. Main St.

* Mention the FREE PRESS at Drexel Box-Office and receive $2.00 OFF GENERAL ADMISSION & $1.00 OFF SENIOR OR MATINEE ADMISSION

In 1968, Dagenham, England was the site of the largest Ford Motor factory in Europe. 168 women worked sewing seatcovers, earning a fraction of the income of their male counterparts. In the lively and entertaining MADE IN DAGENHAM (pronounced Dag-in-um) soft spoken Rita O’Grady (Sally Hawkins, Golden Globe winner for Happy Go Lucky) is elected to attend what is expected to be an uneventful meeting between the union and Ford execs. She and her colleagues become outraged by the lack of respect shown to female employees when they are reclassified as “unskilled workers”, even though they are using highly technical sewing machines. With humor, common sense and courage, they take on their corporate paymasters, an increasingly belligerent local community, and finally the government itself.

Roger Ebert called the film, “outstanding” and wrote that “the unexpected thing about Made in Dagenham is how entertaining it is. That’s largely due to the choice of Sally Hawkins for the lead … she shows an effortless lightness of being.” Thelma Adams of US Magazine asserts, “the marvelous Sally Hawkins shows spunk as the leader who boils over when bosses insist women don’t deserve equal pay for equal work. It’s a female ‘Full Monty’.” Made in Dagenham is a retro romp with heat, smarts and soul about a brave grassroots movement that continues to be extraordinarily relevant today. Starts Friday for a limited engagement, 113 minutes, rated R. Co-starring Miranda Richardson, Bob Hoskins, Rosamund Pike and Rupert Graves.

“SALLY HAWKINS IS IRRESSISIBLE IN THIS FUNNY, TOUCHING AND VITAL SALUTE TO WOMEN IN THE WORK FORCE!” – Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

To see the official trailer and website visit –

http://www.sonyclassics.com/madeindagenham/#/home/

FOR SHOWTIMES – visit www.drexel.net or call (614) 231-9512. DREXEL THEATRE, 2254 E. Main St.

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Election Democracy Part II Bob Fitrakis Facebook Video

The corporatization of the American vote and the secrecy of counting and non-accountibility.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150118921931987

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Fraudbuster QR Code

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Fight Back March 23, 2011, Polls And Ohio SB Photo ID

WCRS Podcast – fightback
Fight Back March 23, 2011
Submitted by fightback on Wed, 03/23/2011 – 7:03pm
Bob Fitrakis and Connie Gadell-Newton discuss a Senate Bill that requires voters to show a government-issued photo ID at the polls with guest attorney Cliff Arnebeck.

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Ohio Republicans Pass New Jim Crow Law Disenfranchising 900,000 Voters

Dr. Robert Fitrakis
March 23, 2011

While Ohio public employees’ rights to bargain collectively are under siege, the Ohio Republican Party executed a perfect sleight of hand by disenfranchising nearly 900,000 Ohio voters. In the most vicious and direct attack on voting rights since Bull Connor ran amok in the deep South, Ohio House Republicans passed HB 159 that requires Ohio voters to produce one of four state photo IDs at the polls.

The only IDs that will be accepted in Ohio if this bill passes the overwhelming Republican State Senate are a U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID, an Ohio driver’s license, or an Ohio state ID. This is the most restrictive standard in the nation.

The Republican Party’s target is obvious. Studies indicate that 25% of African Americans nationwide do not have a government-issued photo ID, 18% of voters over age 65 do not have a photo ID, and 15% of voters with incomes under $35,000 lack the ID as well. Besides going after blacks, the elderly and the poor, the bill also sets its sights on college students. What do these people have in common? They tend to vote Democratic.

The Republicans refuse to discuss an amendment that would have accepted a college student ID with a photo from their own state-funded university, including The Ohio State University, one of the nation’s largest institutions of higher education.

Usually cautious critics like Dan Tokaji, Professor of Law at Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law, offered dire assessments: “’Disenfranchisement’ isn’t a word to be used lightly. But it is necessary to capture this bill’s purpose and impact. Passage of this bill would restore our state’s unfortunate reputation as our nation’s capital of vote suppression.”

The Republicans are justifying their assault on the most basic and fundamental right by invoking the myth of “voter fraud.” Not only have academics like Lori Minnite documented in detail the absence of voter fraud in U.S. politics, Tokaji addressed the issue in Ohio: “The only documented case of impersonation I could find in recent Ohio elections involved absentee voting by a mother pretending to be her daughter. This isn’t surprising. The few people who attempt voter impersonation aren’t likely to risk criminal prosecution by showing up at the polling place; they are much more likely to vote by mail. The bill won’t do anything about mail voting fraud.”

Ohio Republicans have frequently cried “voter fraud” while at the same time they’ve hired their political allies like Triad, ES&S and Premier voting systems (formerly Diebold) to secretly count Ohio’s vote with proprietary computer hardware and software.

The only way to understand House Bill 159 is to acknowledge its historical significance as the new Jim Crow, which is an even more insidious form of apartheid. This new apartheid encompasses African Americans, and also fits into a deliberate attempt by Ohio Republicans to wage class war against the Buckeye State’s most vulnerable citizens.

What the Republican Party did first with Senate Bill 5 by attacking the pensions, health care and collective bargaining rights of public employees was to establish the shock doctrine, outlined by Naomi Klein. The Ohio Republicans are using the state’s projected $8 billion debt as an excuse to destroy the political base of the Democratic Party. First they destroy the public unions and now they’re going after those constituencies who are likely to support the progressive programs of the New Deal and Great Society.

Another way to look at the recent activity in Ohio is to see how closely it parallels what the CIA calls “economic destabilization” in the Third World. This tactic throws economies into crisis in order to achieve regime change. Since Ohio is one of the nation’s most important swing states, and no Republican has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio, both Senate Bill 5 and House Bill 159 are the obvious opening shots in the Republican presidential campaign.

The Republicans are astute students of numbers and demographics. They understand that they can’t beat Barack Obama in 2012 unless they cheat by restricting voting rights. Sadly, the history of Ohio’s Democratic Party is to roll over and allow the Republicans to do whatever despicable racist and undemocratic acts they wish.

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Fight Back March: Women’s Reproductive Rights 16 2011 WCRSFM

Bob and Connie discuss the attacks on women’s reproductive rights by the Ohio Senate with Gary Dougherty of Planned Parenthood and Sarah Jones, feminist blogger.

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