That is how I feel towards our governor now.
That's because he is responsible for the decision to pull the Ohioans for Health Families Act from the Ohio ballot for November two days ago.
The "sick days" ballot initiative would have allowed Ohio workers to earn up to 7 paid sick days per year (with pro-rated amounts for part time workers) with companies having over 25 employees. Today, hundreds of thousands of Ohioans have no paid sick days, and cannot afford to take unpaid days off when they are sick, or if they need to care for an ill loved one or child. Or are forced to use precious vacation time. Employees blanche at this idea, and some businesses were lined up to oppose it (as expected). But in actuality, the cost to businesses and society in lost productivity due to sick (and worried sick) employees still going to work, as well as infecting co-workers and customers, is greater than the cost of paying the paid sick days. See the website for more: http://www.sickdaysohio.org/
The campaign's accomplishment was impressive: they not only collected over 260,000 signatures to submit it to the Ohio General Assembly, but after the legislature rejected it, they went back and gathered another 240,000 to get it on the ballot. (in both cases, beyond the 120,000 minimum requirement.) This is hard work. I know firsthand. It is no small accomplishment. Job well done.
However, Strickland had expressed reservations about the initiative for some time. Now, it is clear he has bowed to the business interests, betrayed the unions that supported this initiative -- as well as got him elected -- and turned his back the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who would have benefited from this law. It must not concern him enough, maybe since I'm sure he gets all the paid sick days -- note to mention vacation days -- that he wants) In any case, he has pressured the campaign, along with supporters such as the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) to pull the plug.
Strickland and Co. have claimed to do so for other reasons:
They say it is because they think that it would be better addressed at the national level. That is not the case, since the 2006 minimum wage initiative -- for which I was a political organizer -- that passed here in Ohio, put decisive pressure on Congress and the federal government to act in turn. There is no reason that would not be the case here.
They say they want to prevent a campaign "with false claims about the impact of sick days." That is not a reason. They knew that would be the case from the beginning.
They also say they want to prevent a "divisive campaign." Well, first: campaigns are usually rather naturally divisive. But what they really refer to here is divisions between Strickland & Co. on one hand, and those campaigning for the initiative on the other. They are all mostly Democrats, and they don't want a rift in the party. While divisions among a coalition in a campaign is certainly potentially problematic, it is not like it is a problem that they have no control over. It is completely self-inflicted; they have the power to end it at any minute, by simply supporting the initiative!
They also say that the scuttling of the initiative was "a course of action that was best for Ohioans, and all Americans." It is clearly not what is best for Ohioans, or all Americans. They made this decision out of self-interest, though ironically, it is not. This decision is actually bad for the Democrats in the fall campaign. Mandatory paid sick days is popular, and just as in 2006 with the minimum wage initiative, people would register and vote who may not have otherwise. In addition to being more Democrat-leaning, these voters would also tend to vote for the candidates and party who supported the initiative: in this case, the Democrats. For this reason, in 2006 the minimum wage initiative was at least partially if not largely responsible for the '06 victories by Strickland, along with Sherrod Brown. The Democrats would reap the benefits from a sick days initiative the same way, as a popular initiative that would drive Democrats to the polls. Ohio could go to Obama as a result. Now that strong electoral influence is lost.
This tragedy is all made worse by the fact that the initiative would surely would have passed, even without much help. Polls show that a wide majority of Ohioans support it. Which makes Strickland's excuses all the more strange, and his apparent threats to oppose it all the more frustrating and disgusting.
I encourage all to contact Governor Strickland's office and voice their disappointment: (614) 466-3555
You call also call the SEIU about dropping their support as well:
(614) 461-1199 or (800) 227-1199
You can ask for the union President, Becky Williams
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