GOP introduces anti-labor legislation --leaders kill it immediately
by Bruce Bostick
On May 1 (May Day) this past week, extremist, right wing Republicans introduces 3 versions of the anti-labor, so-called “Right-to Work” legislation, one bill directed at private industry, another at public workers and a third piece that would immediately place that legislation on the ballot for referendum. The so-called “Right-to-Work” legislation is now being pushed by right wing, pro-corporate legislators nationally in order to break the power of unions, which only now represent 9% of workers in private industry nationally. RTW would bar unions from collected dues from all represented workers, while still requiring unions to represent all workers. It would reverse previous union elections won by unions in which the entire unit had elected to be represented by unions.
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Lucasville media access hunger strike ends
by Siddique Abdullah Hasan
YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO-- Today, at 3:15 p.m., Greg Curry and I, Siddique Abdullah Hasan, decided to end our almost month-long hunger strike. The strike commenced on April 11, the 20th anniversary of the Lucasville prison uprising. The sole purpose of our strike was to vigorously challenge the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) continuously denying us to have direct access to the media- that is: on-camera interviews with the media. While both death-row and non-death row prisoners in Ohio are granted on-camera access to the media, those who have been reailroaded and convicted of crimes stemming from the Lucasville Uprising have continuously been denied equal protection under the law. And though ODRC policy permits its prisoners to meet with the media to discuss their criminal cases, this policy has not been applicable to those of of convicted of riot related offenses. In fact, in 2003, the then-prison chief, Reginald Wilkinson, made it perfectly clear to Kevin Mayhood a staff reporter at the Columbus Dispatch that: "no inmates convicted of riot crimes will be permitted to speak with [them]." This blanket and collective denial is contrary to ODRC's own state-wide Media Policy, which Mr. Wilkinson's successors have been unconstitutionally enforcing his vindictive directive.
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As unemployment drops and poverty in our city rises…Columbus service workers and supporters rally with elected leaders, call on corporations to stop holding our city back
by Laurie Couch
On Monday, State Representative Mike Foley joined about 75 Columbus security officers, janitors, and community members for a rally outside the Motorists Mutual Insurance building downtown. Workers, faith leaders, and elected officials called on business leaders of Columbus to support the good jobs our city needs to stanch the rapidly rising poverty rate.
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Students, community, support teacher fired by church for her sexuality
by Bruce Bostick
Over 100 students, alumni of Columbus Bishop Watterson, and community, labor supporters, packed the meeting room of the local Unitarian Church last Saturday, rallying to support beloved 19 year Watterson teacher, Carla Hale, who was fired by the Catholic Diocese for “violating the morality clause.”
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The Dayton (Drone) Development Coalition
by Gerry Bello
Recently, the Free Press ran a story about Jim Leftwich, covering his double-dipping into the public trough, lobbying the Federal Aviation Agency to designate the Dayton-Springfield area as a special testing site for military drones, while simultaneously charging Wright State University a consulting fee. While reporting on his $114,000 per year from the State of Ohio, and $20,000 per month from Wright State and the resultant ethics flap, we did not roll the clock back far enough.
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OSP Prisoners Join Hunger Strike in Solidarity
by Ben Turk
Tues April 16th, 2013, Youngstown, OH - At least twenty one prisoners at Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP) refused all three meals on Monday, April 15th in solidarity with the four Lucasville Uprising prisoners who've been on hunger strike since April 11th.
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Thousands support Medicaid expansion in Ohio!
by Bruce Bostick
An emotional crowd, estimated at over 2,500, packed the statehouse grounds on Friday in Columbus, Ohio, calling on legislators to support the expansion of Medicaid proposed under "ObamaCare," (Affordable Care Act). The expansion has been supported by Ohio’s conservative Republican Governor John Kasich, but it is now being blocked by legislators from his own party.
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Four Lucasville uprising prisoners on hunger strike
by Ben Turk
April 11th, 2013, Youngstown, OH- Four prisoners housed at Ohio State Penitentiary began refusing food today. Greg Curry, Siddique Abdullah Hasan, Jason Robb and Bomani Shakur, who have been housed at OSP since it opened, are demanding that media outlets be allowed to come for sit-down on-camera interviews with them. In a recorded announcement, Bomani Shakur described the hunger strike as a "protest [of] the state's unfair and unreasonable refusal to grant us access to the media... I am an innocent man. This is injustice, the state of Ohio is trying to kill me."
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"No cuts to Social Security" say Ohio Retirees
by Bruce Bostick
Meeting in Columbus, Ohio on 4/9/13, the 300 delegates to the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) greeted the president’s announcement that his proposed budget would propose cuts to Social Security with outrage!
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Job Opening - Petition Circulator
by Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government
The Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government is looking for paid petition circulators to go door-to-door in Columbus neighborhoods seeking signatures from registered voters for our petitions. We are a citizens' group trying to get two pieces of legislation on the ballot for a vote: 1) we believe the people of Columbus should approve or reject the bailout of Nationwide Arena, and 2) we believe there should be campaign finance laws in place for local elections as the voters approved in 1994.
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Recent Ohio Articles

Video by Occupy the Oval
  November 20, 2011
  OSU students

Building on Defeating Issue 2
  November 10, 2011
  Robert A. Letcher, PhD

Columbus Coalition for Responsive Government to file initiative petition to revise Columbus City Charter
  November 7, 2011
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Hangin' with Glenn Beck so you don't have to: More Ohio Right to Life escapades
  November 5, 2011
  Marley greiner

Study touts Social Security successes
  October 29, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Animal killing in Ohio highights need for regulations!
  October 25, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Created Equal: Condom course is an outrage to Ohio taxpayers!
  October 22, 2011
  Marley Greiner

Occupy Columbus Update
  October 19, 2011
  Connie Everett

Draconian Issue 3 would harm every Ohioan because of its intended and unintended consequences
  October 11, 2011
  Albert A. Gabel

The death of Jerry Doyle
  October 10, 2011
  Bob Fitrakis

Consider Columbus Occupied
  October 10, 2011
  Occupycolumbus,org

Concerned citizens and faculty ask state to investigate mismanagement of Wilberforce University
  October 5, 2011
  Tom Over

Ohioans say no to voter suppression
  October 5, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Ohio State University becoming less public?
  August 25, 2011
  Tom Over

Trumka helps launch Ohio repeal campaign
  July 22, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Just ban them! (at least in Columbus)
  July 21, 2011
  Connie Everett

AFL-CIO leaders Trumpka, Burga to kick off campaign to win poll fight on SB 5
  July 18, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Indie journalists arrested in Greenfield last year return for accountability: Felony wiretapping among charges levied
  July 12, 2011
  Ademo Freeman

Letter to the Editor - Heartbeat bill must not be passed
  July 1, 2011
  Shira Nahari

MILLION OHIOANS SAY NO TO ANTI-LABOR BILL!
  June 30, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Push for a million Ohioans against SB5
  June 25, 2011
  Bruce Bostick (USW/SOAR)

Whirlpool steals workers' guaranteed health care
  June 19, 2011
  Bruce Bostick (USW/SOAR)

Tax breaks for ‘Big Shots’ will cost middle class Ohioans, says lawmaker: State Rep. Sykes requests cost-impact analysis of Kasich’s new tax give-away
  June 19, 2011
  Rep. Vernon Sykes office

Columbus City officials hypocritical about public access TV
  June 11, 2011
  Joe Sommer

The Ohio Estate Tax should not be repealed
  June 2, 2011
  Albert A. Gabel

Correction to the lead Columbus Dispatch editorial Sunday May 15, 2011
  May 10, 2011
  Albert A. Gabel, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University

May 5 Statehouse rally stands up to Kasich's budget
  May 9, 2011
  Bob Studzinski

Summary of Governor Kasich’s damaging efforts
  May 6, 2011
  Albert A. Gabel, Professor Emeritus, Ohio State University

SB5 Petition Events Saturday April 23
  April 22, 2011
  

Women in Central Ohio who had a Gynecologic biopsy at OSUMC need to send their biopsies to an outside Gyn Pathology expert
  April 18, 2011
  Sally A

Demand that Ohio investigate torture allegations
  April 17, 2011
  Free Press staff

Central Ohio fights back against Senate Bill 5
  April 13, 2011
  Bob Studzinski (photos)

Ohio GOP sends a stealth death notice to public college teachers unions
  April 2, 2011
  Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman

Ohio Fight Back Drive announces at Town Hall meeting
  April 1, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Republicans pass anti-worker bill: Labor coalition build fight for justice!
  March 30, 2011
  Bruce Bostick (USW/SOAR)

Photos from SB5 protest at Kasich's house in Westervile
  March 16, 2011
  Free Press staff

Workers present their “State of the State” at huge protest
  March 13, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Corporate union busters draw first blood in Ohio
  March 3, 2011
  Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman

Huge labor rally at the Ohio Statehouse
  March 2, 2011
  Democracy Now

Rev. Jesse Jackson in Columbus
  March 2, 2011
  Jack Burgess

Little Egypt at the Statehouse
  February 20, 2011
  Jack Burgess

Ohio workers flood capital--Demand defeat of anti-labor bill!
  February 20, 2011
  Bruce Bostick

Will Ohio's Auditor David Yost uncover the No Child Left Behind scam?
  January 30, 2011
  Bob Fitrakis

Kasich, Kasich, you can’t hide – we know you’re with the rich inside
  January 11, 2011
  Bob Fitrakis

On the OSU medical clinic article
  January 4, 2011
  Margaret Nuovo

Ohio State's medical industrial complex under fire for unnecessary surgeries
  January 3, 2011
  Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman

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