Some GOP senators say Senate Bill 5 goes too far

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Some GOP senators say bill goes too far
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Friday, February 18, 2011  02:51 AM
By Jim Siegel

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A bill making major changes to state collective-bargaining law is not a slam-dunk to pass the Senate in its current form.

The Dispatch talked to seven Republican senators this week who either would not commit support or expressed varying levels of discomfort with Senate Bill 5, which would eliminate collective bargaining for state workers, take away binding arbitration for police and firefighters, and limit the bargaining power of teachers and other local workers.

Republicans hold a 23-10 majority and need 17 votes to pass a bill. Democrats are expected to unanimously oppose it.

"While there is much in the bill I think is good, there are some things I think are decidedly a bridge too far," said Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati. He said the bill gives management too much power.

Sen. Frank LaRose, R-Fairlawn, said he doesn't believe the system is functioning as well as it should, but "I think that reforming collective bargaining doesn't mean getting rid of it. I believe in the right of people to gather as a group and advocate on their behalf."

LaRose said he also doesn't support doing away with binding arbitration for police and firefighters, who cannot strike. "If binding arbitration is taken away, what are they left with? My fear is it becomes a situation where litigation is used, and I don't think that's the best way to solve our problems."

But even Seitz said the Senate will pass something related to collective bargaining: "We need to do some things. I think the unions realize we're going to do some things."

The question is, what will the bill look like? Sen. Keith Faber, R-Celina, the Senate's No. 2 GOP leader, said he was confident there would be "clear majority support in my caucus." First, however, he expects some changes, though he would not speculate further.

Sen. Scott Oelslager, R-Canton, expressed the most definitive opposition to the bill. "I've been a strong supporter of collective bargaining my entire career."

The bill makes a number of changes affecting teachers, including taking salary "step" increases out of state law, removing the ability to bargain for health care and certain work conditions, and weakening the threat of a strike.

A teacher for 37 years, Sen. Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville, said she understands the teachers' perspective, but she also understands the budget deficit and has not made a decision on the bill.

"I'm meeting some teachers next week, and hopefully we can come up with some sort of a compromise," she said. "When I started in 1972, I saw teachers laid off not because they were poor teachers, but because they were at the top of the pay scale. I don't want to go back to that."

Sen. Bill Beagle, R-Tipp City, said the bill's replacement of continuing teacher contracts with one-year contracts could be difficult to implement and is a fairness issue because administrators can have five-year contracts.

Beagle also worries about eliminating binding arbitration. "I'm concerned maybe we're giving too much to management."

Sen. Jimmy Stewart, R-Albany, would not say whether he supports the bill, but he stressed he is searching for some middle ground with "some of my labor friends."

"I've generally been pro-labor. But I do understand there are legitimate concerns from the sponsor and folks who have testified," Stewart said.

Sen. Jim Hughes, R-Columbus, said he is keeping an open mind on the bill and offered no commitments to its major provisions.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, said she suspects the bill will undergo changes, and she is gathering suggestions.

"Anytime you deal with a big bill, there are lots of people with lots of different ideas," she said. "I feel confident where we are, but this is a complicated issue, and this is a process."