SEIU removes Issue 4 from the November ballot!
Last week’s decision by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to withdraw Issue 4 from the ballot is an exciting victory for the Ohio business community. Not only does it mean that this one-size-fits-all government mandate will not become state law, but it also saves employers from having to spend millions of dollars to fund the campaign that Ohioans to Protect Jobs & Fair Benefits was preparing to wage over the next eight weeks. In addition, it also demonstrates the substantial political strength of a unified and engaged business community.While the leadership exhibited by Governor Ted Strickland, Senate President Bill Harris and House Speaker Jon Husted on this issue no doubt contributed to the SEIU’s decision, it is also true that, without the tireless efforts of local chambers across Ohio to educate your members and others in your communities about the negative effects the mandated paid sick leave proposal would have had on employers, their employees, and Ohio’s economy, the SEIU would not have surrendered.
The Ohio Chamber’s first communication directly to local chamber professionals on mandated paid sick leave was sent back in February, so I know many of you worked aggressively on this issue for at least six months—if not longer. Here are just a few of the highlights of the things you accomplished that led, ultimately, to last week’s decision:
· A total of 66 local chambers passed resolutions or otherwise publicly expressed their opposition;
· At least three dozen chambers conducted briefings or meetings and invited either Tony Fiore or me to explain the issue and discuss the campaign effort;
· Another two dozen or so more had briefings or meetings scheduled for September or October at which either Tony or I were asked to speak;
· 16 local chamber executives volunteered to serve as the campaign chairperson in their counties;
· At least ten other chambers identified campaign county chairs from among their membership.
In addition, several chambers made financial contributions to the Ohioans to Protect Jobs & Fair Benefits campaign, had op-eds or letters to the editors published in their local newspapers, sent letters directly to Gov. Strickland and other state leaders urging them to oppose Issue 4, and had meetings with local elected officials to educate and encourage them to get involved. Still others had plans in place to reach out to voters over the course of the weeks leading up to the election, through paid advertising, absentee ballot follow-up efforts, or by distributing information at upcoming fairs and events. All this on top of the ongoing updates and other information you were regularly providing to your members. Finally, every one of you were willing to help out with the occasional special requests the Ohio Chamber or Ohioans to Protect Jobs & Fair Benefits made of you. And I’m sure I missed a host of other activities in which you engaged that we weren’t even aware of.
In short, it was an impressive, comprehensive effort, and it demonstrates just what the Ohio chamber federation is capable of when we work together in the political process.
The Ohio Chamber salutes you for your outstanding commitment to defeating Issue 4. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Now that you have helped put an end to mandated paid sick leave, I hope you won’t retreat from engaging in the upcoming election. There are still many important campaigns that voters will decide this November that are of significance to the business community in Ohio. To make sure your members are educated voters when they go to cast their ballots, or to download a voter registration form or request an absentee ballot application, encourage them to visit www.OhioBusinessVotes.org. Or, for the nearly 60 local chambers who have partnered with the Ohio Chamber and the U.S. Chamber to have your own customized political and advocacy websites created, send your members to your sites to access this same information.
For those local chambers that are part of the Ohio Chamber’s “Chamber Action Alliance,” you can expect us to resume our regular communications and updates soon. Please contact Chris Brock, the Chamber’s grassroots coordinator, if you have any questions about the Chamber Action Alliance.
One last thing: the next briefing on the campaign to defeat Issue 4 that was scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday, September 9, 2008) at 2:00 p.m. has been cancelled.
Please call or e-mail me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Keith A. Lake Director,
Political and Candidate Education Ohio Chamber of Commerce
614-228-4201 klake@ohiochamber.com
