Dear Legislator:
On
behalf of the National Taxpayers Union’s 13,500 members in Ohio, I urge you to
support Senate Bill 5 (SB 5), which would end collective bargaining for state
employees.
There
is no debate that Ohio faces serious fiscal challenges. The state must address
an $8 billion deficit in the next budget. But the state does not have a revenue
problem; rather, the cost of government is too high and unsustainable. To name
just one disturbing example, the Department of Corrections reports that even
if the legislature maintains department funding at 100 percent of current
levels, it would still have to cut 339 positions and close prisons due to the
expected increases in payroll costs during the next two years. In light of these serious
challenges, Ohio must undertake equally serious reforms.
One such reform is SB 5, which would
help address the rising burden of government by ending collective bargaining
for state employees. By taking this approach, the state will have a freer hand
and stronger position from which to negotiate more manageable salaries and
benefits for state workers, which will save money for the taxpayers who foot
the bill.
Collective bargaining for public employees was instituted in
an era when workers did not enjoy legal protections, competitive salaries, or
many benefits. Now, thanks to anti-discrimination, safety, and workplace
environment regulations and laws, public employees have many safeguards against
abuse. Moreover, many public employees now enjoy more job security and better
wages than their counterparts in the private sector, through policies such as
automatic step increases, defined benefit pension plans, and low health
insurance premiums. The Buckeye Institute has found that employees in state
agencies earn more than those at private firms in 85 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Additionally, while Ohio has lost a net of only 1,600 state workers since 2000,
the state has shed 612,700 private sector jobs in areas such as manufacturing,
services, and agriculture.
Given the state of Ohio’s budget and the difficult choices
that lie ahead, the General Assembly cannot
continue to let its hands be tied when it comes to negotiating salaries and
benefits underwritten by taxpayers. Therefore,
our members hope you will support SB 5.
Sincerely,
John
Stephenson
State
Government Affairs Manager
CC: Governor John Kasich
Letter
