Educators...'If we lose on this, it's Katy bar the door what they do next. ... It's about our way of life.'

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/05/07/teachers-union-oks-54-assessment-to-aid-referendum-on-collective-bargaining-law.html?sid=101

Teachers union OKs $54 assessment to aid referendum on collective-bargaining law

OEA assessment to aid collective-bargaining referendum

Columbus Dispatch, May 7, 2011
By Alan Johnson

The Ohio Education Association will assess active members $54 apiece and support-staff members $25 to generate $5 million as fuel for a referendum to repeal the state's new collective-bargaining law.

The decision was made yesterday by about 1,000 delegates attending the teachers union's Spring Representative Assembly at Veterans Memorial.

Police and firefighters unions also have approved assessments to help raise money to support an issue expected to be on the ballot this fall to repeal Senate Bill 5. Signed into law by Gov. John Kasich this year, the law would restrict collective-bargaining rights for public employees and limit taxpayer costs for government workers' health care and pensions.

The vote of the assembly, representing 718 local teachers unions, was not disclosed. However, a union spokeswoman said there was "an overwhelming majority" in favor of a one-time $54 dues assessment for active regular members and a one-time $25 assessment for education support-staff members. Student and retired members will not be assessed.

The OEA represents 128,000 teachers, faculty members and support-staff members at public schools, colleges and universities.

Jay McDonald, head of the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, said his union is not assessing individual members but has asked each of its more than 200 local lodges to pay $50 for each member. That would come out to be about $1 million, he said.

Firefighters union officials have said they will raise a similar amount, McDonald said.

Speaking at the OEA meeting yesterday, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown urged teachers to rally for the referendum campaign and "make this personal."

"You can talk all the statistics you want, but tell your personal story. Tell people why you're a teacher,"the Ohio Democrat said.

"If we lose on this, it's Katy bar the door what they do next. ... It's about our way of life."

ajohnson@dispatch.com