The bill to eliminate Ohio state government workers' right to collective bargaining will likely change to allow workers to bargain for wages. A second change will prohibit all government employees from striking.
Jason Mauk, spokesperson for the Ohio Senate Majority Caucus and Ohio Senate President Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond) said a group of Republicans have agreed to the changes to Senate Bill 5. That group includes Niehaus, Senate Bill 5 sponsor Sen. Shannon Jones (R-Springsboro) and Sen. Kevin Bacon (R-Worthington), who chairs the Senate Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee that has held hearings on Senate Bill 5.
Under the changes, state employees could collectively bargain for pay issues, but not for health care, workplace conditions or other issues. Additionally, the bill would reflect Governor John Kasich's desire to outlaw strikes by public employees at the local and state levels.
"We've put forward terms that better reflect the variety of voices we've heard," Mauk said.
Mauk said he could not speak on behalf of all Republicans or speak to whether the expected changes would give Republicans enough votes to pass Senate Bill 5 into law. More changes could come, as Mauk said the committee will likely meet again next week.
Asked what led to the changes, Mauk said witness testimony and the large crowd of protestors gathered at the Statehouse played some role in influencing the changes. But Bacon downplayed the crowd's impact.
"Making more noise does not change the bill," Bacon said, adding that he expects protesting crowds to grow.
Bacon said the GOP has the votes to get SB5 passed out of committee and out of the Senate. He said the changes were motivated by policy matters, not to get votes.
"There will be many changes to the bill," Bacon said.
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