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The above chart reflects the number of firefighter/paramedics in the Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department since 1986 and the number of emergency responses each year. Staffing in 1986 was 79, and staffing currently is 79. The number of emergency calls has increased over the same time frame from 3734 in 1986 to 7900 in 2009, for an increase of 111.57%, with an average yearly increase of 3.37%.

Days till 9/11

We will never forget

Legislating for retribution

By Jennifer L. Holz

Published on Friday, Feb 18, 2011

In a Feb. 14 editorial ''Bargaining power,'' the Beacon Journal supported the idea of revisiting Ohio's collective bargaining statute to allow employers flexibility in addressing budget needs. Senate Bill 5, however, as currently framed, does not ''revisit'' the issue but would eliminate the right of all state employees to bargain collectively. It represents a complete repeal of democratically chosen rights, without any explanation or justification. For local police, firefighters and teachers, it imposes severe restrictions on their basic worker rights.

Passage of S.B. 5 would not create new jobs or fix the state's financial crisis. Rather, the primary argument for the bill is to give employers flexibility, but what does flexibility mean for local employees? For safety forces, it could mean that they lose their right to bargain over safety issues that could save lives. For teachers, it could mean that they lose the right to bargain over teaching conditions, which are the students' learning conditions.

The need for transparency is another argument used by the proponents of the bill. But this is a false argument. There is no lack of transparency currently. Contracts are posted on union websites and on the State Employment Relations Board website — access is granted to anyone who wishes to view them. Contract disputes and settlements are written about in the Beacon Journal and other papers.

If the bill's proponents wish to mandate that negotiating proposals by both parties be publicly posted, this may not be a problem for the parties involved. This easy fix doesn't require the complete elimination of collective bargaining rights.

State employees have already made sacrifices in response to the current fiscal environment. Just in the past year, state employees have given back $250 million to help address the budget crisis brought on by the recession (which they did not cause). Some 53,000 of them have been furloughed, and many have lost their jobs. Proposed changes to pension funds would result in greater contributions by public servants, who would see smaller pensions than promised.

The Beacon Journal correctly states that proponents of S.B. 5 freely admit they haven't given any thought to the potential of the bill for remedying the state budget deficit. A simple fact: Even if the state fired every single public employee, and saved more than $2 billion, the budget deficit would still be a projected $6 billion, and there would be no public services at all.

So-called right-to-work states have budget deficits at levels equal to or greater than Ohio's deficit. Thus, it is clear that employee costs are not the cause of the deficits. Eliminating bargaining rights will solve nothing.

Given these facts, S.B. 5 is clearly political retribution and serves as a distraction. The focus of the newly elected Republican majorities should be as they campaigned — create new jobs. Instead, they have chosen to focus on punishing those who are least likely to vote for Republicans, civil servants who are unionized.

Most of the Republican governors around the country endorsed this initiative at their recent meeting in California. Is it the opinion of the Beacon Journal editorial board that the unsupported assertions of this bill's sponsors should carry more weight than the actual, data-supported fact that police, firefighters, nurses and teachers work for the greater social good?

Holz is a professor of sociology at the University of Akron Wayne College.

Protecting Ohio Protectors

Stop Senate Bill 5!

1)Senate Bill 5 (SB 5) essentially ends the process for negotiating fair contracts that has been used successfully for decades.

2)Under the guise of reform, SB 5 eliminates workplace protections for Ohio’s public safety workers and their families.

3)SB 5 does nothing to help fix Ohio’s budget crisis, it is largely aimed at local governments, not state government.

4)A recent Quinnipiac University poll showed that Ohioans, by a 17-­‐poin margin, oppose limiting the collective bargaining rights of local government employees like police officers and firefighters.

5)Law enforcement and firefighters want to work with legislators to create solutions, but abolishing all collective bargaining isn’t a solution.

6)There are many ideas that we agree with in principle, such as the need for transparency so citizens can better understand what happens in the bargaining process and what is in each contract.

7)Ohio’s public safety forces are already treated differently under current state collective bargaining laws.

8)Since 1983, law enforcement officials and firefighters have been restricted from striking due to the unique nature of their work and the potential impact on public safety. Binding arbitration was provided as an alternative to striking. Removing breaks the covenant made between Ohio and public safety workers. 

9)Because of the “no-­‐strike clause,” binding arbitration is an essential right and necessary part of the collective bargaining process to protect police officers and firefighters.

10)Protect Ohio Protectors is a coalition of eight groups representing over 37,000 active public employees and thousands more retirees.  Tens of thousands of other Ohioans support their efforts.