What Ohioans Are Saying: Ohio Workers “Won” Because Sherrod “Had Our Backs”

Sherrod listened to workers at Findlay’s Cooper Tire plant and took action to level the playing field for Ohio workers. Citing his “amaze[ment] at [Sherrod’s] response and concerns for our workers,” Rod emphasized that Sherrod “had [workers’] backs” and noted that without Sherrod’s immediate action standing up to China, he is “not sure what would have happened” to workers at the plant.

Findlay Courier: Happy to debate that
Rod Nelson – September 17, 2024

• Sen. Brown will need all hands on deck to keep his senate seat and continue to fight for the working class in our state.
• In 2012, Chinese tires were illegally dumped on the U.S. market that directly affected workers in Findlay’s Cooper Tire plant. Days were scheduled out of the plant for the workers. Paychecks shrunk. Families struggled to make ends meet. We needed help to stop China from breaking international trade laws. Our jobs were on the line.
• We workers reached out to Sen. Brown and also Sen. Portman for help in stopping the flood of cheap Chinese tires on the U.S. market that directly affected our livelihood and money that goes into our local economy.
• I was amazed at their response and concerns for our workers.
• As union president during this time, I will forever be grateful to Sen. Brown and his staff for discovering that China was violating international trade laws.
• Sen. Brown, Sen. Portman and myself all testified at the International Trade Commission to the violation and injury to our workers. Wow. Talk about how these guys had our backs at the Cooper plant. The big guns came to help us.

• China lost that decision, and we won. Because they lost, our plant announced a $125 million investment along with the need for more employees.
• Without Sen. Brown’s help, I’m not sure what would have happened.
• So, when I hear from outsiders that our Sen. Brown doesn’t represent us in Ohio, I say bring that debate to me.