1 min read

Season 4, Episode 67

Ohio lawmakers fight over control of the state’s future labor efforts

Ohio AFLCIO

 

Guest Name:


Tim Burga

Guest Website:


https://www.ohioaflcio.org/ 

Guest Social Media:


Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

LinkedIn

Supportive Documents:


President of the Ohio AFL-CIO, Tim Burga, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Ohio’s upcoming legislative battles. 

Burga discussed the lack of progress on redistricting in the state of Ohio. After a vote by Ohio voters asked for a redistricting in 2022 and a Supreme Court ruling that found the new redistricting maps from Republican lawmakers to be in direct violation of the law, there was hope that Ohio lawmakers would make progress toward more fair and equitable districts. Since those rulings, there has been no movement in the redistricting efforts in the state. Burga mentioned that there is a possibility of another vote to seek an independent redistricting commission similar to the one Michigan voters approved in 2018.

Republican lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation designed to make the passage of constitutional amendments more difficult. Currently, resolutions in both the House and Senate will increase the threshold of votes needed to amend Ohio’s constitution. Burga expects legislators to put this measure on the ballot in an August special election. If successful, Burga warns that making any constitutional amendments could become nearly impossible for democratic lawmakers.

Finally, Burga talked about Senate Bill 83 and how it would directly impact public Ohio universities in various ways, among them is the ability of union workers to strike, DEI policies in Ohio and syllabus requirements. Burga said this is the worst affront to the labor movement he’s ever seen. He added that removing a union’s ability to strike, however rare in the public sector, removes a bargaining tool making it more difficult to gain leverage.

Listen to the entire episode to learn more.

EYEMED000323_Savethe70sbanner_615x244

 


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

SUBSCRIBE ON:

Group 342

Group 341

Group 343

Group 339

Group 397

Group 397

 

Central Ohio's tech boom has building trades poised for growth

Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council (C/COBCTC), joined the America's...

Read More

Energizing and organizing are the priorities for the AFL-CIO in 2025

Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the labor movement's path forward....

Read More

Best of 2024: Michael F. Sabitoni, LIUNA, on building union solidarity

As part of our Best of 2024 series, we revisit the July 11 interview with Michael F. Sabitoni, General Secretary-Treasurer of the Laborers'...

Read More