Governor Ted Strickland was greeted with a resounding roar on his first trip back to the Statehouse since the inauguration of his successor. trickland came to support union members who are opposing the bill that would eliminate collective bargaining and binding arbitration for government workers and replace negotiated salary schedules with merit raises. As he made his way through thousands of unionized workers, the former governor said he thinks the bill is an attack on the middle class.
"This is not right. It is unfair. This budget crisis is being used as an excuse, as an excuse, to destroy organized labor in Ohio. It cannot, it must not happen."
Strickland did not testify against the bill.