Hundreds descend on Ohio Statehouse to protest collective bargaining changes

[OhioChick]

Source: Cleveland.com

Published: Thursday, February 17, 2011, 12:25 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Hundreds of public workers jammed the Statehouse Thursday as the Ohio Senate continued to hear testimony on a bill that would eliminate collective bargaining rights for state employees and change the rights of local government employees.

The workers, many wearing bright red T-shirts, filled the Statehouse atrium and rotunda while others milled about outside. They voiced their opposition loudly, sometimes echoing into the Senate hearing room and competing with the speakers testifying in support of Senate Bill 5.

Extra security was out in force.

The bill is sponsored by Republican Sen. Shannon Jones of Springboro. Jones testified last week that changes to the 27-year-old collective bargaining law are necessary to help local governments deliver services to taxpayers while dealing with declining revenues.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/02/hundreds_descend_on_ohio_state.html

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Snip~ "Also mixed in with the throng of union workers were some Tea Party activists who support the bill."

[muntrv]

1. So, when does this come up to Michigan, my home state?

[chowhound]

7. as soon as mich elects a republican govnr

so dont sit home to prove some petty point, go vote. dont let kasick (or his ilk) happen to you.

[OhioChick]

8. They just elected Synder (R) if I'm not mistaken n/t

[muntrv]

11. Rick Snyder IS a Repub, although he's not as right wing as Walker.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. And thus it spreads.

You're playing Yemen to our Egypt.

[Joanne98]

3. Collective bargaining protestors, supporters clash at Statehouse (Ohio)

Source: Columbus Dispatch

Well over 1,000 enthusiastic supporters and opponents of the Senate's proposed collective bargaining overhaul enveloped the Statehouse this morning with cheers of "kill the bill" and "yes on 5," prior to the latest hearing on Senate Bill 5.

The spacious Statehouse atrium was packed mostly with public union workers outraged at efforts to end collective bargaining for state workers and significantly weaken the ability for local workers to bargain for their pay, benefits and working conditions.

While a strong union presence was witnessed for the bill's first two hearings, they were joined today by more than 200 red-shirt clad tea party activists pushing for the bill's passage. The mix verbally clashed in the Statehouse rotunda, where the two sides did their best to drown out the other.

Meanwhile, the atrium had the feel of a rock concert or an Ohio State football game, as union supporters cheered loudly when Senate sergeants-at-arms led their leaders across the balcony and into the hearing room.



Read more: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/02/17/collective-bargaining-supporters-protestors-clash-at-statehouse.html?sid=101

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GO GO GO!

[chill_wind]

4. Thanks for this news. K & R

[fasttense]

5. Since the ignorant and selfish tea-baggers have arrived maybe this will get some

corporate media attention. Even bad publicity will make people aware.

[Capitalocracy]

6. I wonder who's handing out those red shirts. nt

[chill_wind]

9. Ohio AFLCIO twitter

http://twitter.com/ohioaflcio

[CLANG]

10. Here's a telling tweet:

1000 "No on SB 5" handed out and gone. NBC 4 said they were having a hard time finding tea partiers to talk to #SB5 #StandUpOH #StateSOS about 2 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®


Aw, the poor press is having trouble finding teabaggers to lie, deflect, and triangulate (although they'd even have a harder time finding someone that knows what "triangulate" means.

Must have the "both sides have a fair point" disconnect for the MSM audiences.