Frank Mathews, Administrative Director of the Communication Workers of America District 4, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Issue 1 in Ohio. Mathews also discussed the combined effort with the Ohio AFL-CIO to rally residents to get to the polls for the special election in August and a strike at Maximus.
The special election in August for Issue 1 has been scheduled, but after a ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court it was determined the ballot language must be rewritten. The State’s High Court ruled the description of Issue 1 was misleading and not allowed on the ballot in its current form. Issue 1 proposes to raise the threshold for passing constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60 percent. There is a worry that politicians could use the new threshold to protect themselves from seeing any new legislation they pass overturned, Mathews said.
District 4 of the CWA has partnered with the Ohio AFL-CIO to get the message out about the special election. They are putting together campaigns to notify residents and union members about the election, and get them to the polls for the vote. The campaign includes providing information about the bill, voter registration and how to request absentee ballots. This is a safety measure, as there is still a possibility the Ohio Supreme Court will rule against the August vote, Mathews said.
The CWA has another battle on their hands, as their members that work at Maximus, one of the federal government's largest call centers, have gone on strike. There have been several incidents of alleged Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) performed by Maximus recently. The CWA has been forced to file a ULP claim with the National Labor Relations Board relating to multiple incidents involving current and former workers, according to Mathews. He shared details about the reasons behind the strike and what he believes would have helped prevent the current work stoppage.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.