Ohio lawmakers have had their chance to vote on a bill limiting collective bargaining rights for 350,000 public workers across the state.
Next will be the public's turn.
Even before the contentious Senate Bill 5 had cleared the Legislature late Wednesday, unions and Democrats in this once-proud labor stronghold vowed to put it on November's ballot as a referendum.
"O-H-I-O! S.B. 5 has got to go!" protesters chanted ahead of a final Senate vote of 17-16 that sent the bill to Gov. John Kasich for his signature, which is expected to happen on Friday. The vote followed a day filled with Statehouse demonstrations by about 750 people, who raucously chanted and shouted throughout the process.
After a House vote of 53-44, opponents chanted shame on you and Speaker Batchelder had the chambers cleared by the highway patrol.
Opponents intend to gather the signatures for a referendum to be placed on the ballot this November to overturn the legislation.
While Wisconsin has gained more national attention, Ohio is far more important to unions. It has the sixth largest number of public sector union members among all the 50 U.S. states, twice the number of Wisconsin. With many auto and steel and manufacturing plants, Ohio is also a union bellwether."
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