Could have something to do with his incredibly low approval ratings, which are a direct reflection of this bill. Kasich, fellow Republicans to propose SB 5 deal to unions Gov. John Kasich pleaded with organized labor leaders today to compromise on Senate Bill 5 and cancel a fall referendum on the controversial bill that peels back public employee collective bargaining rights. Kasich said avoiding a fight over state Issue 2 is in "best interest of everyone, including public employee unions." He asked the unions to "set aside political agendas and past offenses." But We Are Ohio, the coalition that is leading the effort to overturn the collective bargaining law, reacted negatively almost immediately. "They can repeal the entire bill or join us in voting no on Nov. 8," said spokeswoman Melissa Fazekas. Were glad that Governor Kasich and the other politicians who passed SB 5 are finally admitting this is a flawed bill, she added in a statement. Just like the bill was flawed this approach to a compromise is flawed as well. Our message is clear. These same politicians who passed this law could repeal it and not thwart the will of the people. The governor said the offer stems from him being a "believer in talking," and not out of "a fear we are going to lose." Kasich asked for a delegation of 10 public employee union leaders to talk Friday with state officials. Fellow Republicans William G. Batchelder, Ohio House speaker from Medina, and Senate President Tom Niehaus of New Richmond, joined the governor at this afternoons press conference. Niehaus echoed the comments of Kasich, saying the average person at home is asking him why they can't work this out. Niehaus said Democrats expressed no willingness to meet in middle during the legislative process. "We did reach out. Made concerted effort," he said. "Delete, delete, delete" is what the Democrats wanted to do. Batchelder says he is concerned about issue like this where folks are so angry, because its bad for Ohio. He says he asked for amendments from both sides, but Democrats said no. Last week, We Are Ohio said it would not agree to any deal to keep some of Senate Bill 5s provisions but scrap others. On Saturday, The Dispatch reported that Ohio Education Association vice president William Leibensperger and AFL-CIO president Tim Burga met at least twice in June with former Republican Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson and Chan Cochran, a confidant of Gov. John Kasich's, to discuss a possible deal. Those meetings were facilitated by Curt Steiner, a political consultant and former chief of staff for both Gov. George V. Voinovich and Davidson, and Michael Billirakis, a former president of the statewide teachers union. No deal was reached or even offered. Several sources said a deal would have included some agreement that all public employees would contribute a certain percentage toward their health-care and pension costs. The bill now requires at least 15 percent payment toward health insurance and 10 percent toward pensions by all public employees. As part of the proposed compromise, a modified binding arbitration system, the right for all nonsafety forces to strike, and fair share payments to unions by nonunion employees would likely have been reinstituted. Republicans also might have been willing to hedge on a provision of Senate Bill 5 that outlaws seniority as a determining factor for layoffs. Other economic issues such as merit pay and non-economic factors such as the education reforms included in the bill were on the table as well. August 30 is the deadline to take the item off the November ballot, where the measure is state issue 2.
Sorry, Dave, but I don't have any "boys". I think Gov. Kashich should do whatever is best for his state. If he wants to compromise to avoid the kind of crap that occurred in Gov. Walker's state, that understandable. Extortion is effective it's just illegal for everyone except unions.
Funny, he didn't want to compromise when the Democrats called for it during the crafting and passage of Senate Bill 5. Why wasn't he supporting compromise then? Threatening to execute our state constitutional right to vote is extortion? Really?
