Hoffa Slams Passage of SB 5 In Ohio, Eliminating Most Collective Bargaining Rights for Public Sector Workers

Teamsters General President Vows to Fight, Pledges Support for Citizens' Veto Effort

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today condemned Ohio's Legislature for passing a bill that silences the voices of the state's 350,000 government workers.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO)

Last night, Gov. John Kasich signed SB 5 into law after it passed both chambers. The new law eliminates nearly all collective bargaining rights for public sector employees and gives broad powers to the executive branch to terminate collective bargaining agreements.

"This law is a shameful attack on people who care for us when we're sick, rush into burning buildings to save our lives, clear snow from the roads during blizzards, come to our rescue when we're in trouble and protect us from criminals in prisons," Hoffa said. "It has nothing to do with fixing the budget or creating jobs. It's union busting, plain and simple."

Hoffa said Ohio Teamsters are organizing to collect signatures for a Citizens' Veto of the legislation.

"Ohioans know SB 5 is nothing more than a political favor to bankers and CEOs who want to bust unions, cut wages and ship jobs overseas," Hoffa said. "I'm confident that Ohio's working people will go to the polls in November and kill this law."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.Teamster.org.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters