On Saturday, Sept. 3, representatives of We Are Ohio, along with local public employees including steel workers, iron workers, machinists, firefighters and members of the community attended the first annual Labor Day Picnic at Dover City Park. The picnic was hosted by the Tuscarawas County Democratic Party and local public employees.

The purpose of the picnic was to educate voters on Issue 2, the effort to repeal Senate Bill 5, a bill that limits collective bargaining rights among public employees. Opponents of Senate Bill 5 believe the bill is an unfair and unsafe law that will hurt local communities.

We Are Ohio representatives had a table at the picnic held at Deis Hill and spoke with voters about the importance of voting “No” on Issue 2 in order to keep their families, friends, neighbors and community safe.

Local Democrats, including former Congressman Zack Space, Dover mayoral candidate Tony Korns, New Philadelphia Mayor Mike Taylor and others spoke about what they perceived as an attack on the middle class. Space told the crowd the only way to fight back is to get involved.

“If you work for a living, Senate Bill 5 should be a concern to you,” said Space. “When labor in general is under attack, we are all attacked, not just public employees.”

Maggie Henderson, of Canfield, serves as regional communications director of We Are Ohio. “Senate Bill 5 will make it harder for firefighters to ask for special training and equipment. Nurses won’t have any say in overtime in cases of great emergencies when they are needed right away. They will be on the phone with their supervisors while they could be helping people,” said Henderson. “Senate Bill 5 will result in jobs being filled by less qualified people. There will be job cuts. This is not a union issue. It will be a huge detriment to everyone.”

Korns also spoke at the event. “This is a non-partisan issue. This is an issue about people. It took us 100 years to get where we are today. In one fell swoop, we could do away with all we have put in place to protect workers. I have found both as a laborer and a business owner, if you take care of your workers, they will take care of you,” said Korns.

Connie Edwards, of Stone Creek, and a representative of the United Steelworkers Local 2737 volunteered at the picnic. “If Senate Bill 5 isn’t repealed it will be huge. Teachers are already held to such a high standard. Imagine what will happen if they can’t make a living wage,” said Edwards.

Edwards was also concerned about Ohio House Bill 194. Called the “Voter Suppression Bill” by opponents, the bill limits early voter dates, shortens the early vote timetable and puts new obstacles in place at polling locations. “Some of us are working 12 hour days, six days a week at times. If I’m on 7 to 7, when am I going to have time to vote if I can’t vote early? It is very important that we have the ability to exercise our right to vote,” said Edwards.

Petitions to repeal House Bill 194 will be circulated statewide and are available through the local Democratic Party.

Nearly 60 people attended the picnic that was free and open to the public. The Tuscarawas County Democratic Party hopes to make it an annual event.

We Are Ohio is a citizen-driven, community-based, bipartisan coalition that has come together to repeal Senate Bill 5. We Are Ohio includes public and private sector workers and employees, police officers, firefighters, teachers, nurses, pastors, small business owners, Republicans and Democrats, local elected officials, students and business leaders.