Hoffa: Ohio Results Show Voters Won't Stand for Attacks on Workers

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Nov 08, 2011, 10:50 ET

Official Statement of Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is an official statement today from Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa on the results of Tuesday's election in Ohio. Ohio voters defeated Senate Bill 5, an anti-union measure that would have severely weakened collective bargaining rights for more than 350,000 public workers.

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"Ohio voters just sent a wake-up call to American politicians: If you try to blame workers for problems caused by Wall Street, you will pay a price. If you attack workers, you will lose. And if you stand up and fight for the middle class, you will win.

"John Kasich thought he could get away with blaming workers for a budget deficit caused by Wall Street greed. He was dead wrong. Now he's one of the most unpopular governors in the country. Ohio voters understand that nurses and snowplow drivers and firefighters don't go to work for the government to get rich. Ohioans showed on Tuesday that they won't stand for attacks on middle-class workers. I'm sure they're no different from voters in any other state.

"For the first time in history, collective bargaining for government workers was approved in a statewide ballot. This election shows the public supports workers' right to for a union in order to bargain with their employer. It's a huge victory for all middle-class working families in Ohio.

"The Teamsters are grateful to the voters of Ohio for their support. And I'm proud of the Teamsters who worked so hard to collect signatures and to get out the vote. Most of the 55,000 Teamsters in Ohio work for private companies, but they showed tremendous solidarity with their fellow Teamsters who work for the government and with all public workers.

The Teamsters have 55,000 members in Ohio, including about 7,000 public employees.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @teamsterpower.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters