Columbus – Yet another national poll today shows that Americans do not support partisan legislation such as Senate Bill 5 that would take collective bargaining rights away from police officers, firefighters, teachers and other public employees. According to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, 62% oppose efforts to strip government workers of their rights to collectively bargain.
“The public sees Senate Bill 5 for what it really is—a highly political assault on the rights of middle class workers,” said Senator Cafaro. “I am grateful that six republicans in the Ohio Senate joined with Senate Democrats in opposing this deeply flawed legislation. If it wasn’t for last minute chicanery, the bill would not have even reached the floor of the Senate for a vote.”
The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll also points out that 77% percent of Americans believe public employees should have the same rights to negotiate over health care, pensions and other benefits as workers in the private sector.
“Senate Bill 5 would turn our public employees into second class citizens,” said Senator Cafaro. “The sad truth is this legislation would leave public employees with fewer rights to negotiate on issues such as safety equipment than their counterparts in the private sector.”
The findings of the Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey are backed up by other recent public opinion polls. A USA Today/Gallup poll puts support for public employee collective bargaining rights at 61% and a New York Times/CBS News poll has the number at 60%.
