Issue 2 and Senate Bill 5: What's Your Vote?

Senate Bill 5 (SB5) has been raising controversy among public workers since it was passed last March. Now an issue to overturn the law will be on the ballot again in November. A No vote on Issue 2 will overturn SB5. A Yes vote will keep the law as is.

The people against Issue 2 believe that the bill takes away public employees' rights. Under the new law, they no longer have the right to collectively bargain or make any kind of requests unless the employer elects to hear them. Government employees are now asked to pay 15 percent of the cost of their health insurance premium, which may not sound like much, but when you're not making much to begin with, it might as well be 50 percent.

This bill also makes it harder for emergency responders (i.e. fire fighters and police) to negotiate for critical safety equipment and training. Under SB5, nurses and hospital and clinic workers will be prohibited from demanding reasonable and safe staffing levels and will be asked to juggle more patients at once.

Katie Hodges, a UC Blue Ash student studying to be a teacher, doesn't support SB5. "It shows a lack of respect," she says. "They want to take money away from the people who work the hardest. They already don't make that much. I don't want this bill to affect anyone who is helping other people. I'm voting NO."

The argument for Issue 2 believes it redefines the word "supervisor" and returns some basic control of our schools and services to the taxpayers who fund them. This bill was written to help get taxes and spending under control, making simple requests, such as asking them to pay into their own pensions rather than forcing taxpayers to pay the employee and the employer shares.

The law also allows employees' performance to be considered and not just the length of their services when determining compensation and pay increases. Thus, it would no longer allow bad teachers to keep their jobs, while good teachers are fired just because they don't have seniority.

One UC Blue Ash student, Scott Rollins, likes the law. "Unions are good to an extent," he says, "but there needs to be some restraint. So I'm voting Yes on Issue 2."

These are just some of the major points from both sides of the argument for the repeal and against it. Educate yourself and learn what this bill is all about before you decide. Remember: a YES vote will keep the bill in place and a NO vote will repeal SB5.

Here are some websites for both sides of the argument:

For SB5 and Issue 2

http://www.betterohio.org

Against SB5 and Issue 2

http://weareohio.com