Democrats defeated Issue 2 by a 63 to 38 percent margin. Working families from various different Unions and walks of life stood together to repeal the republican backed bill. Governor John Kasich's, Issue 2 would have severely restricted many rights of the 350,000 public workers which included firemen, police officers and teachers. One of the main goals of the bill was to take away their right to collectively bargain, which is the dialogue between labor and management to resolve differences and the primary way for workers to have a voice.

This was an enormous victory in Ohio. Efforts in other states such as Wisconsin fell short of repealing the suppressive law. With Ohio pulling together and taking a stand, unions have their first win regarding the matter!

Issue 2 (SB 5) would have:

• Taken away Collective Bargaining - The dialogue between labor and management to resolve differences and the primary way for workers to have a voice.
• Made our Communities Less Safe - Nurses, police officers, firefighters and prison guards could have lost their ability to negotiate for safer staffing ratios and better equipment, putting the safety of our families at risk.
• Threatened the Quality of our Schools - It would have prohibited school districts from negotiating with teachers for smaller class sizes, threatening the quality of education in Ohio. It also would have tied salaries to test scores, forcing teachers to focus more on testing than providing the best education possible for our children.
• Meant Layoffs, Fines, and Jail Time for Striking Workers - Issue 2 (SB 5) would have banned all public employees from striking and established steep penalties if they did, including losing their job or facing costly fines. If workers were to strike when a court had issued an injunction, they could have faced $1,000 in fines, up to 30 days in jail or both.