How Progressives Won the Labor Rights Showdown in Ohio

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.truth-out.org/why-we-won-ohio-discussion-paul-booth/1321541650

Thursday 17 November 2011
by: Amy Dean, Truthout | Interview


Thousands gather to say "Kill The Bill" to Senate Bill 5 on March 8 in Columbus, OH. (Photo: Ohio AFL-CIO)


Last week, the labor movement and its allies scored a major victory with the repeal of Ohio Senate Bill 5 (SB5), a piece of anti-union legislation signed by Republican Gov. John Kasich. In a referendum that gave voters a chance to speak on the issue, Ohioans resoundingly rejected the law, which would have gutted the bargaining rights of 350,000 public-sector workers. In a landmark defeat for Republicans, voters turned out in large numbers and voted 61 percent to 39 percent to strike down SB5.

To understand how progressives pulled off this remarkable win, I spoke with Paul Booth, one of the chief strategists behind the campaign to repeal SB5. Currently, Booth is executive assistant to Gerald McEntee, the longtime president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). But he is also an organizing legend outside of the labor movement. In the 1960s, Booth served as national secretary and vice president of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and in the 1970s he was a prominent figure at the Midwest Academy, an influential training ground for organizers. He has worked for AFSCME since 1974.

Delving into the Ohio victory, I opened with a simple question: "Why did we win?"

"The people of Ohio decided that this was as a power grab by the governor and his people," Booth said. "They decided public service workers' rights were worth preserving."

His answer seemed consistent with the common "overreach" analysis. Many commentators argue the Ohio vote is symptomatic of a widespread backlash against Republican governors who exceeded their electoral mandates by ramming conservative agendas through statehouses.

FULL story at link.