Frank Mathews, the Administrative Director of the Communication Workers of America District 4, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss two proposed house and senate resolutions in Ohio’s state legislature and how they will impact the future of Ohio politics.
House Joint Resolution 1 and Senate Joint Resolution 2 both propose to increase the approval vote on constitutional amendments from 50 percent plus one to a 60 percent majority. Senate Joint Resolution 2 has made it through the Senate, and is awaiting adoption in the House. House Joint Resolution 1 is still awaiting adoption into the House, before being introduced to the Senate.
The two resolutions could greatly impact the future of politics in Ohio, according to Mathews. It is his belief that these resolutions are a direct attack on the state's Democracy. Not only would there have only been a handful of amendments to pass the 60 percent threshold out of the previous 172 amendments, but if the same requirements were made for elections, the majority of politicians wouldn’t have been elected, Mathews said.
On May 10, the CWA has a call to action for all activists to join them and show their opposition to the resolutions. Activists will meet at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbus before heading to the Ohio Statehouse. Together they will sit in on both Senate and House hearings to show their opposition.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.