Ohio leaders praise removal of sick-day issue from ballot, remain divided on overall issue

Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown made the announcement with Service Employees International Union District 1199 President Becky Williams Thursday morning that the union-led coalition is ending its campaign to put an issue on the ballot Nov. 4 that would require employers to give full-time workers seven paid sick days a year.

The coalition leaders, including SEIU and the Healthy Families Act Coalition, will instead work to pass a federal paid sick-leave bill co-sponsored by Brown that would apply to all states.

Ohio leaders have praised the removal of the contentious issue from Ohio's ballot, but Democrats and Republican leaders are still divided over the issue. Ohio Democrats support the measure in national form, while Ohio Republican leaders criticize any "mandates" on businesses and say that making the issue national makes the presidential election that much more important.

Strickland said that he supports a federal act, but was concerned about the Ohio ballot initiatives' effect of creating a divisive climate for Ohio business.

"In my judgment, this initiative was not the right way to pursue the worthy goal of obtaining paid sick leave for working people," Strickland said.  "While I support providing paid sick leave to working families, I was deeply concerned that a divisive public campaign about Ohio's business climate as well as the enactment of new requirements that would put Ohio at a competitive disadvantage would both negatively impact Ohio's economy."

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher also praised the moves by the coalition.

"We need to be doing everything we can to help Ohio's businesses and industries grow to retain and create new jobs," Fisher said. "We're pleased the SEIU and all of the Healthy Families Act proponents have taken this step today."

Ohio Senate President Bill Harris was pleased that the issue would not appear on Ohio's November ballot, but warned that mandates were bad for business in Ohio during a struggling economy.

"The Ohio ballot issue collapsed on itself because it was never designed to solve a problem in Ohio, it is a nationwide political movement by the SEIU to energize and increase its membership," Harris said. "Mandates and other policies that drive up costs on businesses during this critical time in our economy are bad for Ohio employers and employees, and run counter to all the efforts we have made to bring more jobs and economic prosperity to this state."

Harris said he was pleased the initiative won't be on the ballot, but noted that the issue is still "a top priority for the SEIU and Ohio Democrats who have been very clear that they support imposing benefit mandates on businesses."

"Their success now hinges on if they can get their endorsed candidate in the Whitehouse," Harris said. "It makes the presidential election even more critical to Ohio and all our hopes of creating good jobs for the future."

Ohio House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty praised Strickland and Brown for "finding common ground on this issue."

Beatty said she believes "we can help the thousands and thousands of working Ohioans who don't have paid sick time, while ensuring that our business community has the tools to thrive."

"I believe strongly in protecting workers and their families, but I don't think this issue as written is the right vehicle," Beatty said. "The campaign that would have been waged for and against Issue 4 would have done more harm than good to Ohio's national reputation as a destination for business, and by extension, to the workforce that deserves all the new investment and opportunity we can attract."

Sherrod Brown said during the announcement that national sick day legislation would be part of the Democratic agenda in Congress next year, which would theoretically put all states on an even playing field.

House Speaker Jon Husted applauded the move saying, "This proposal would have hurt Ohio businesses and driven jobs out of our state."