Labor Testifies Against SJR2/HJR1, An Attack On One Person, One Vote
More hypocrisy has been exposed in the extremists’ effort to limit Ohioans right to direct democracy. It has come to light that one out-of-state billionaire is funding the effort to end over 110 years of simple majority rule on constitutional amendments. As reported in the Columbus Dispatch and according to the Capital Journal, Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein had donated more than $1 million to a PAC supporting the effort to require a super-majority of 60% of the vote to pass a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment, as opposed to the long-standing and current 50% plus one requirement.
Today, Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, and Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers and Secretary-Treasurer of the Ohio AFL-CIO, were among the many who have provided opponent testimony at the Statehouse to HJR1/SJR2.
"These proposals shred our constitution and will hurt workers in trades, and our effort to put Ohio on track for jobs and economic prosperity," said Hager. "An out-of-state billionaire is bankrolling efforts to take rights away from my members and workers through SJR2."
Over 200 bipartisan organizations, four bipartisan former governors, five bipartisan former Ohio attorneys general, and the entire association of Ohio election workers all oppose this direct assault on our freedom to have a voice in our state Constitution.
"This is an issue that has united us because this is about allowing our voices to be heard at the ballot box and our commitment to the democratic process in our unions and communities," said Cropper. "As union members we take the idea of majority rule to heart. It’s part of everything we do as a democratic organization. One person, one vote”