This editorial in the Intelligencer is a must read for Strickland fans...Gov. Ted Strickland apparently believes that Ohioans’ elected representatives in the General Assembly cannot be counted upon to do the right thing in regard to some important issues. Unionization of home health care and child care workers is an example: Instead of allowing legislators to debate and decide the question — perhaps with input from those on both sides of it — Strickland has issued what amounts to his own “law.”Emphasis added.
An executive order issued by the governor a few days ago grants collective bargaining rights to home child care and health care workers. After hearing of the order, the powerful — sometimes radical — Service Employees International Union announced that it will begin efforts to unionize the approximately 7,000 home health care workers in Ohio.
Yes, that would be the same SEIU that reportedly has contributed about $1.6 million to Strickland and the Ohio Democratic Party.
Strickland insists that he was just doing the right thing, that unionization will improve the quality of people in the home health care and home child care industries. He neglected to mention the probability that unionization will mean higher costs for those who have to depend upon home health care and home child care workers.
But the bottom line on Strickland’s action is that he apparently didn’t trust legislators — and through them, the people of Ohio — to decide whether the unionization move was desirable. Or, perhaps, he worried that lawmakers wouldn’t share his viewpoint on the issue.
Either way, the governor is out of line in usurping power that most Ohioans believe should not reside in the chief executive’s office.
Absolutely right on target... If West Virginians can see this, why can't Ohioans?
