Pay raises based on performance? Help pay for healthcare? Non-negotiable health care costs? Employers deciding staffing levels? Welcome to the real world. I get paid based upon how well I do my job; I chip in on my own healthcare; I don't get to negotiate what I pay; I don't decide how many staff members we have...welcome to the real world.

This article is confusing to read and, therefore, to understand clearly. The verb tense changes inconsistently so readers are not sure whether the writer is referring to how things are currently under SB5 or how they would be if Issue 2 passes. Please make up your mind so that this article is actually informative for the voters.

The average Ohio police officer makes $41,500...do some (a few) make $85,000 + OT ...sure but a few make $26,000 w/ NO OT. Cherry picking a few high salaried management level officers does not make the average. Personally I have not had a raise since 2008 and my monthly medical coverage contribution has gone up 200%. 2009-0%....2010-0%....2011-0%. Medical monthly contribution 2009- $75, 2010- $150, 2011- $225.

And the city I work for wants to and will raise my monthly medical contribution to $650 if SB5 gets upheld .....right now at $225 monthly....post SB5 $650 monthly....that's a 191% increase and there is nothing to stop them from doing it. You see 15% contribution is the MINIMUM, there is NO MAXIMUM contribution % in SB5....I guess 100% is the maximum and I guarantee some cities will be charging employees between 50% and 100% of medical costs if SB5 goes through.

Senate Bill 5 is just a part of the "jobs" legislation paaed this year. Now you can drink liquor in the capitol basement. You can take a gun into a bar. You can't get an abortion-even though it's legal. They are giving our turnpike to cronies of the Lehman Bros. agent we now have as agovernor. We have fracking all over the state including our state parks. Ted Strickland where are you?

I would like to see an easy to understand chart - with specific information regarding local employees. What is the current salary range for Avon Lake police officers, Avon Lake fire fighters, and Avon Lake public school teachers? What is the dollar contribution each of these individuals pay for their health care? What is the dollar contribution each of these individuals pay for their life insurance? What is the raise policy for each group - merit or cost of living? If cost of living, what has the pay increase/decrease been over the past 5 years?

In WI they EXEMPTED Police and Fire. In WI the employees effected were paying 6% for healthcare, now they pay 12.5%. In WI the employees effected were paying 0% into their pension, now they pay 5.8%.

ALSO: Pension changes for elected officials and appointees: The bill modifies the pension calculation for elected officials and appointees to be the same as general occupation employees and teachers. Current law requires these positions to pay more and receive a different multiplier for pension calculation than general classification employees. Under the state constitution, this change will be effective for elected officials at the beginning of their next term of office.

THE ELECTEDS ARE EXEMPTED FROM SB5!! Another HUGE difference between WI and OH

In OHIO we ALREADY pay 10% into our pensions (yes some units have negotiated a pension pickup but it is far from the norm and it usually amounts to 3%-5%) so even if you are lucky enough to have a pickup you are still paying 5%-7% into your pension.

Healthcare contributions in OHIO are all over the place due to the uniqueness of different contracts, all the pub. employees I know where I work pay 14% RIGHT NOW WITHOUT SB5 and have done so for 4-5 years.

WHAT HAPPENED IN WISCONSIN IS WAY WAY BETTER THAN WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE......I'd take the WI deal in a second!!!

JeriW
I empathize with your comments. You could have made your point without lashing out and making statements about my character. You do not know me and there is nothing in what I have written that would support your accusations that I don' t care about working people or that I think public employees are undeserving. And then you pile on with that stuff about how my safety and the quality of children's education will be affected by public employees earning minimum wage. Try this. My spouse lost her job permanently due to incurable disease. We lost her income and I pay over $6,000 for her COBRA coverage. Hope that makes you feel better.

For me, the bigger picture around SB5 is: how can one elected official simply decide that he doesn't like to work within the confines of one law so he arbitrarily decides to eliminate it - or some of it? People died for us to have the right to collective bargaining. How can Kasich simply decide to take away that right? Who does he think he is? King Kasich?

SB5 does not eliminate collective bargaining---it does limit its use---
SB5 requires that all contracts be available for public revue, followed by a public forum, and forbids an official from signing any contract for which the funds are not available

Ohio State Representatives and Senators are paid less than 46 other states and are covered by the same health plan and retirement as all other state employees you can check it out---

Even unions fire its' own staff employees and the membership fires its' leaders through elective processes. As workers, union and non-union, demand more protections the cost and risk of hiring and firing has skyrocketed and raised barriers to job creation in America.

Average police officer pay in Ohio...that means all of Ohio not just Cleveland or Columbus area eveen the little towns in southern Ohio are included.

http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Police-Officer-l-Ohio.html

Victor, All contracts now are available for public review http://www.serb.state.oh.us/

The state legislators accumulate full time pension at a part time job...they also get full healthcare benefits in a part time position.

SB5 does not involve the public unless the GOVERNMENT BODY takes the UNION offer and it is found that THE GOVERNMENT BODY DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO PAY FOR IT WITHOUT A FUTURE TAX INCREASE.....WHY WOULD THE GOVERNMENT BODY EVER TAKE THE UNION's OFFER???? WHEN THEY NEVER HAVE TO WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT SB5 ALLOWS. THE SETTELMENT FOR IMPASSE UNDER SB5 IS THE GOVERNMENT BEING ABLE TO ALWAYS TAKE THEIR OWN OFFER...ALWAYS

Typically when a major piece legislation passes, there’s a Motion to Amend the Title… which is a parliamentary procedure in which legislators can actually add their names as co-sponsors of the bill, so they can officially claim the legislation. Since January, 2005, only ONE bill has reached the Governor’s desk with a lone sponsor listed on the legislation. ONE bill that no other legislator in either the House or the Senate would add their name to as co-sponsor, even upon its successful passage. Not a single one of the 17 Senators or 53 Representatives who voted in favor of the bill wanted us to see their names in print on the front of SB 5 now Issue 2 alongside Senator Shannon Jones.

Mr Baker --are you related to Barbara Striesand?---
Mr Thompson--I would like to respond---if you can figure out what you said--please let me know

SB5 requires that the PROPOSED contracts be available for perusal by the public--
Forgive me --but thinking Senators and Representatives are part time jobs is a bit naive---

This is a week in the life of a paid scumbag er..I mean legislator http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/house_committee_schedule.cfm

I am all for full disclosure...hell yes you can come to the negotiating meetings and sit and watch...I have no problem with that whatsoever as most of the meetings last about 25 minutes or less. We propose something, management says no and the meeting is over. If you want to come to fact finding bring a lunch and dinner because it usually takes about 10 hours to complete one of those hearings and the same amount of time for an arbitration hearing, but those may take 2-3 10 hour days...us union members that serve as negotiators get $0 to serve in that function..at least where I work.

You guys sound like a broken record---when they coach you ---see if they can come up with different phrases-----if binding arbitration is the cause of the problem then so be it --I am glad it will be gone---

Here's how see it. Your working for the goverment not the privet sector,so that means that if you go on strik, the goverment can't go and raise the prise of what ever it is your making. Which is nothing.

Rob
You must be kidding, "safety net" from government and politicians ? Safety nets are not safe. Dependency on government is not safe. The only "safety net" I want for every American is a healthy economy, jobs and opportunity to have my own "safety net". Where is that "safety net" ?

John [King] Kasich, didn`t decide anything---SB5 was written by an elected representative majority with the input and encouragement of others, including Govenor Kasich. It passed because of the realization by those representatives that Ohio is being strangled by excessive taxation, overregulation, and " Union" contracts with public employees which have become UNSUSTAINABLE. It`s present form is wholly the result of conservative Republicans because the Union Democrats refused to take part, they sat in the corner and pouted, just as in Wisconsin, and the resulting changes are a small step toward fiscal responsibility, and the possible recovery of Ohio to its once proud state. Public employees and their unions didn`t build Ohio, their unionization was certainly helpful in getting a fair shake, but they now have become an elite group, bent on salaries and benefits packages far beyond need, closer to greed. The cancer cell grows for the sake of growth, by it`s very nature destroying that on which it depends for life. SB5 asks for, not a cut, but a reduction in the rate of increase. I urge you, don`t kill the goose which lays your golden egg.---thank you for your kind attention.

You can find statistics to support any argument---print out your numbers and stand at the state line---when a company/employer/businessman/ goes by you on his way to some other state---wave those numbers at him, that will stop him----the business environment in Ohio sucks---regulations, manufacturing taxes, property taxes, Union shops, all go into the mix---some drastic changes will occur, or Ohio will bevcome a giant Ghost Town----of course if it`s any consolation, the Ghosts will be unionized, and no ---I am not anti-union---but they have gone too far---and the pendulum will have to swing back---

As a judge of human behavior you are lacking--better not give up your day job as a builder---I am not a politician, I have worked as a union member most of my working life, [ABC, BCWU, Teamsters], I am a constitutional conservative and an avid tea-partier---but I have no axe to grind, and I know of which I speak, no propaganda here, I have been heavily involved with this issue for over a year, I have studied the numbers til it hurts, and something has to give ---the projected cost of Public Union health care and pensions is unsustainable in the near term, I am talking 2012, and if Issue 2[SB5] doesn`t pass, [This bill was designed primarily to SAVE Jobs] ---layoffs of State employees, and teachers, beginning by January will be devastating to Ohio`s economy. If you think the building business is slow now---you will look back on October 2011 as the good times. If Issue 2[SB5] is defeated, do your celebrating quickly, your uphoria will be short-lived!-- I am sorry, but you folks had better wake up...--Victor

Sustainability is the crucial factor in our economy today on every level of society. The word "sustainability" itself is the answer. It has nothiing to do with the position of our battles. It's a very simple matter at the center of this discussion with BANKRUPTCY at the end of the road if the appropriate turns are not made.
If we fail the sustainability test, we shall all be in the same boat anyway!

News flash----Michigan may become a Right -to-work state before Indiana.--Yes Michigan!

As Charlie Brown would say "Agh"! When will people stop using labels i.e. conservative, liberal, tea party? The real problem is that the average person is too wrapped up in themselves. They don't read about or study what is happening in the world today. They don't realize that everything changes in seconds because of new technology. The one thing I know for sure is that when houses aren't being build, the country goes down the toilet. It is really about the big investors. They don't have all those mortgages to hedge because the banks are playing ball with Wall St. The 1% who are millionaires are sitting back counting their money and have no intention of starting any businesses that will put people back to work. These are the same people who contribute to the politicians. Politicians don't vote for their constituents they are controlled by their deep pocket funders.Wake up America! Stop picking sides. Just do the right thing. Everyone should have a job, a home, healthcare and a voice in the laws of this country. Everyone in this country thinks the USA is the number ! country. . .WAKE UP! For a democracy we are way behind.