Dayton Business Journal...
Tea Party group pushes for Ohio amendment
by Jeff Bell, Staff reporter
Thursday, November 10, 2011 

A conservative group connected to the Tea Party movement is calling for a constitutional amendment to make Ohio a right-to-work state – a move that comes just two days after voters shot down a law viewed by many as anti-union. 

The Columbus-based 1851 Center for Constitutional Law said in a release Thursday it has submitted signatures and summary language to the Ohio Attorney General to begin the process of placing the issue on the November 2012 ballot. 

The constitutional amendment would guarantee that Ohioans can choose whether to be in a labor union and not be forced to pay dues or so-called “fair share” assessments to unions as a condition of employment. 

“Ultimately, freedom to associate also means freedom not to associate,” 1851 Center Executive Director Maurice Thompson said in the release. “It’s time for Ohio to end labor conditions that compel its citizens to participate in highly politicized labor organizations or instead pay a considerable penalty.” 

The ballot bid comes after Ohio voters soundly defeated State Issue 2 on Nov. 8, repealing the state law that imposed restrictions on the collective bargaining rights of the Ohio’s public workers. 

The right-to-work ballot effort drew a quick rebuke from Becky Williams, president of Service Employees International Union    , District 1199 in Ohio. 

“I don’t know what reality these people are living in,” she said in a statement, “but after an overwhelming demonstration of support for (worker rights) on Tuesday, the radical, anti-worker special interest groups are coming after the rights of Ohio’s middle class once again.” 

The 1851 Center has said that backers of the right-to-work effort include many of those who worked for passage of State Issue 3, the Health Care Freedom Amendment, that Ohio voters approved by a wide margin Nov. 8. 

The center said it will need to submit 386,000 valid signatures from voters to the Ohio Secretary of State by early July to place the right-to-work amendment on the November 2012 ballot. 

Similar worker protection is provided in 22 other states, primarily in the south and west, the center said. Ohio would be the first Midwestern state to pass such an amendment.