Rescue Ohio Jobs Campaign Kickoff Huge Success
Hundreds rally to save jobs, Columbus City Council unanimously passes resolution

“This event is a testament that on the state, local, and the national level that the country’s mood is shifting on unfair trade,” Ted Strickland, U.S. Congressman (D-OH), “A decade ago NAFTA passed Congress by a wide margin, but in July of this year we all watched as the President and his administration had to twist arms on Capitol Hill to get a narrow two vote majority for CAFTA.”

SB 13 was introduced in January 2005 by Senator Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) to end taxpayer assistance and government incentives for Ohio companies that send jobs overseas and would require that all state contracts awarded for labor and other services be performed within the United States.  Although the bill has received enormous support from co-sponsors and the public, the legislation has not moved in the Republican controlled legislature.  

In fact, economic well-being and quality of life for all Ohioans don’t appear to be issues of importance to the legislature. Sen. Gary Cates(R- West Chester), chairman of the Senate state and local government committee was recently quoted in the Columbus Dispatch as saying, “It’s not a bill I’m planning to put up for a hearing anytime soon. I just don’t consider it that high of a priority right now.”

Regardless of what some lawmakers say, jobs are a priority for Ohioans.  Ohio has lost over 161,000 jobs since 2001 and nearly 53,000 of those jobs were lost as a direct result of foreign trade.  Ohio is the fourth worst in the nation for job growth.  When jobs are shipped overseas, the consequences go far beyond the individuals who find themselves unemployed.  It affects public schools and services as a result of a smaller tax base, as well as small businesses.  

In order to put pressure on out-of-touch politicians in a state where thousands of jobs continue to move overseas, the USW launched the Rescue Ohio Jobs campaign.  They are mobilizing citizens around the state to pass city council resolutions in support of SB 13.  Resolutions have already been passed in Columbus, Cleveland and Lorain.

“I worked at the Rubbermaid plant in Wooster, Ohio for nine years until the global economy stole my job. The plant closed and more than 800 people lost their jobs because greedy retailers like Wal-Mart forced Rubbermaid to sell products for less than it cost to produce them,” said USW Rescue Ohio Jobs Coordinator Carla Henthorn, who emceed the event. “What outraged me the most was I couldn’t take my skills and get another job in manufacturing in northeastern Ohio without taking a 50% pay cut because corporations and politicians have sent too many good-paying Ohio jobs to foreign countries.”   

“I was so angry about what I experienced that I went to work for the Steelworkers union organizing citizens all across Ohio to fight back.  We’re asking regular people to join us in sending a strong message to the politicians and greedy corporations:  Rescue Ohio Jobs!” Henthorn continued.

After the rally, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman led Rescue Ohio Jobs activists in a march from the Statehouse to Columbus City Hall, where Henthorn and Senator Fedor testified and council members forcefully expressed their support for the Rescue Ohio Jobs resolution.  

“I agree with my elected colleagues and with all of you that trade is good, that economic growth is essential, but we need policies that benefit the working people in the city of Columbus, the state of Ohio, and across our great country.”

If you want to help fight back to Rescue American Jobs or would like more information, please contact Carla at 614-888-6052 or chenthorn@usw.org.