More Facts on Issue 2

MYTH:  Unions never came to the table to discuss their concerns with Senate Bill 5, now Issue 2, during the legislative debate, and when given the chance to compromise, they refused.  TRUTH:  Thousands of Ohioans were locked out of their own Ohio Statehouse during the legislative debate and were unable to testify or let their voices be heard.  We Are Ohio stood firmly with the 1.3 million Ohioans who signed petitions to repeal SB 5 and told legislative leaders they should come back to Columbus and repeal the whole bill. 

MYTH:  All of Ohio’s business community supports Issue 2.  TRUTH:   More than 700 businesses in Ohio are part of the Proud Ohio Workers program that shows support for public and private sector workers who shop in their businesses.

MYTH:   Rolling back collective bargaining rights is needed to help managers do their jobs.   TRUTH:  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.

MYTH:  Issue 2 is nothing more than a reasonable set of reforms needed to bring public employee salaries and benefits more in line with their private sector counterparts.   TRUTH:  There is nothing reasonable about Issue 2.  It takes away the rights and voices of hardworking Ohioans who serve our state and local communities.  It unfairly shifts the balance of all power to management.

MYTH:  Issue 2 just asks public employees to pay their fair share for healthcare benefits and pension costs.   TRUTH:  Issue 2 fundamentally changes collective bargaining and is a flawed bill with unintended consequences.  All state employees already pay 15% of their healthcare and 10% of their pension costs.  Many workers in local communities also pay at least these levels or more.  School employees in Grove City pay 35% of their healthcare costs.

MYTH:  Issue 2 will save jobs.  TRUTH:  Issue 2 will not create one job.  Between the devastating state budget cuts to local communities and Issue 2, the state could lose 51,000 jobs.  The truth is, due to more than one billion dollars in state budget cuts, local communities will be forced to fire and layoff vital safety services like police officers and firefighters.