Unions Rally Against Senate Bill 5 on City Commons

Strongsville has suddenly become a hotspot in unions' battle against Senate Bill 5.

Strongsville teachers Monday afternoon hosted a protest on the City Commons, holding signs for passing traffic to see and chanting "Kill the bill."

The Ohio Education Association, in conjunction with the North Shore AFL CIO, is planning an even larger rally involving a number of unions from 5-7 p.m. March 15 on the Commons. 

Tracy Linscott, president of the Strongsville Education Association, which represents teachers, said this will be one of 12 regional rallies OEA is organizing throughout the state in tandem with other public employee unions.

"Our OEA Labor Relations Consultants are working together to help plan the rally," she said.

The Cleveland Heights Teachers Union is among those spreading word of the March 15 rally.

"Please be there! We need your voice!" CHTU president Tom Schmida said on the union's website.

Senate Bill 5 would severely restrict collective bargaining abilities for public employees and union workers. Union members throughout the state are protesting the measure, which already passed the Ohio Senate and is now going to the House of Representatives for a vote.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich was among the speakers. Linscott said representatives from a number of other school districts, including Lakewood, Westlake, Berea, North Royalton, Brecksville, Independence, Brunswick, Medina, North Olmsted and Olmsted Falls, attended, as well as local fire departments and other labor unions.

Linscott said she will attend the next rally, too.

"I am concerned of about how the passage of S.B. 5 will harm our district," she said said in an e-mail. "The changes within our new contract truly demonstrate how the collective bargaining process works.  Our district worked together to achieve a contract that addressed the district’s budget crisis while still doing what is best for the students in the district. This was accomplished because of the presence of collective bargaining."

Police Chief Charles Goss said groups are allowed to congregate on the Commons for rallies and protests as long as they don't impede vehicle or pedestrian traffic.

"Our only concern is they stay off the sidewalk and the right of way, and don't block people trying to walk," he said.