Most are aware of the strong opposition Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin generated with his outrageous move to strip public workers of collective bargaining rights. But perhaps less know of the opposition Gov. John Kasich of Ohio is getting for his equally outrageous attacks on bargaining rights through the passage of the new Senate Bill 5 (S.B. 5).
A new Quinnipiac University poll of Ohio registered voters documents this opposition. According to the poll, Ohio voters oppose limiting collective bargaining rights for public employees (51-38), do not believe limiting collective bargaining for public employees is necessary to balance the state budget (52-38), oppose banning public employee strikes (58-35), and oppose banning public employee bargaining over health insurance plans (54-38).
Ohio voters also favor repealing the whole law through a referendum (54-36).
Conservatives should get it through their heads that voters don’t support taking rights away from workers, whether they’re in the public or private sectors. In this area, as in so many others, conservatives are bleeding public support with their irresponsible actions.
Ruy Teixeira is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. To learn more about his public opinion analysis, go to the Media and Progressive Values page and the Progressive Studies program page of our website.