2006 - Tallmadge Democratic Club, All Rights Reserved
Myth: SB 5 is needed to help balance the budget and stimulate job growth.
Reality: SB 5 destroys jobs and lowers wages. You cannot create jobs by destroying jobs. If SB 5 passes, owners of shops, gas stations and other small businesses across this state will be forced to lay off workers or close their doors.
Myth: Public employees are overpaid, and their salaries need to be brought in line with the private sector.
Reality: A recent Rutgers University study found Ohio public employees earn 6 percent less on a yearly basis than their peers in the private sector. They earn 3.5% less on an hourly basis.
The average OAPSE (Ohio Association of Public School Employee) makes $24,000 a year and retires with an average pension of $900 a month. Public employees do not pay into or receive Social Security.
Myth: Public employees need to make a sacrifice to reduce the state’s projected $8 billion budget shortfall.
Reality: Ohio is 44th of 50 states in per capita spending on government workers. State employees have taken a pay freeze five times in 9 years. In the last contract, state employees voluntarily took furloughs and made other financial sacrifices that saved $250 million and an additional $100 in health care costs.
Myth: Public employees have too much power and the public agrees.
Reality: A recent Gallup poll found the 61% of the public oppose taking away some collective bargaining rights of most public employee unions. A recent Quinnipiac Poll found that only 34 percent of the people in Ohio support this proposal.
Myth: Rolling back collective bargaining rights is needed to help managers do their jobs.
Reality: Ohio passed a law in 1983 to establish collective bargaining for state workers. The 1983 law has reduced labor strife, and increased professional training and productivity.
Help us fight back and protect our middle class! Join us on gathering signatures to recall SB5 on May 14th . For more information on how you can become involved email the Tallmadge Democratic Club at tallmadgedems@yahoo.com, or by visitng the We are Ohio website HERE.
WE ARE OHIO and the Tallmadge Democratic Club, in conjunction with the Tallmadge teachers, firefighters, police, and street department unions will be hitting the streets on Saturday, May 14th in Tallmadge to gather signatures to repeal the Republicans draconian SB5 on May 14th in Tallmadge. Governor Kasich, Republican senators, and state representatives plan to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class and local governments. This is a Republican smoke screen designed to strip unions of politcal power in order to serve the money-interests of corporations who pad the pockets of the Republican governor, Republican senators and house of representatives. Here are just a few of the myths on SB5:
