Across Ohio, Labor Leaders and Workers Highlight Sherrod’s Record Fighting For The Dignity of Work

WKEF: “Local labor workers hosting a ‘Workers for Sherrod’ tour stop today, here in Dayton. It’s a statewide tour touting accomplishments for Senator Sherrod Brown that he’s made for the working class; the organization citing Brown’s work with Wright Patterson Air Force Base, saving pensions, and investments into career centers, and how these all impact Ohio workers.”

Dayton-Miami Valley AFL-CIO President Tom Ritchie: “[The election is about] job security, expanding the job base, it’s about the pensions, the protections of the pensions. You know, our people work and put their life on the job every day… the Senator is about protecting those families, protecting their pensions – the things that they’ve worked for, that they deserve, that belongs to them.”

WKEF: “The [coalition] says Brown has always fought for workers and their families, and having Brown in the office will impact all Ohio workers.”

Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga: “The Dignity of Work is more than just a slogan for Sherrod, it’s how he wakes up and does his job every single day. From taking on Wall Street and special interests to saving the pensions of more than 100,000 Ohioans – including 12,000 right here in Zanesville – to standing up to his own party to block bad trade deals that are not good for working families and working people. We can always count on Sherrod to be on our side.” 

Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga: “Because of Sherrod’s work, Ohio infrastructure, roads and bridges, communities across the state will be rebuilt by Ohio workers with, and this is important, American-made products and materials.”

• Workers for Sherrod, supporting the re-election of Sen. Sherrod Brown, recently stopped in Zanesville as part of a statewide tour. Those speaking included Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans President Norm Wernet and local United Steelworkers member Zach Carpenter.
• Brown has saved the pensions of 12,000 Zanesville residents, introduced legislation to strengthen Social Security, opposed raising the retirement age and privatizing Social Security, and helped more than $1 million dollars in funding for Zane State College to create hands-on and work-based advanced manufacturing training programs.

Herald-Star: Local labor leaders rally to re-elect Sen. Sherrod Brown

• Officials with several local labor unions rallied Monday to support the re-election of Sen. Sherrod Brown, citing the Democrat’s record of supporting Ohio workers.
• The dignity of work is “more than just a slogan” for the senator, Kevan Brown said, noting his efforts to save Ohio workers’ pensions through his Butch Lewis Act, which became law in 2021 through the American Rescue Plan.
• [Kevan] said the senator has contributed to the repair of Ohio infrastructure — including Steubenville water and sewer lines and the Market Street Bridge — with American-made products.

• “Under Sherrod Brown’s leadership, the lives of working families are undeniably better,” [Mel Woods, financial secretary for United Mine Workers of America Local 1304] said. “We need working families across Ohio to understand the stakes of this election and why we need to badly keep Ohio’s best advocate for working families in the Senate.”

WTOV: Workers in Steubenville Highlight Sherrod’s Record Fighting for Ohioans

WTOV: “Local union leaders came together in a show of support for Senator Sherrod Brown.”

Kevan Brown, IBEW Local 246 Business Manager: “One of the major things that Sherrod Brown’s done for unions here in Ohio is supporting the PRO Act. With our company here, protecting the right to organize is huge. Every workplace out here, whether it’s in my jurisdiction or throughout the state of Ohio, they have the right to organize… Better benefits for their families, better wages for themselves, safer workplaces. That right there is one of the huge, huge impacts that Sherrod Brown has had on Ohio.”

Frank Papin, Steel Workers Retiree Organization President: “Sherrod Brown’s been a friend to us steel workers and the labor in all the troubles we had up and down the valley.”

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning Matters: ‘Workers for Sherrod’ Stop in Youngstown

• “Over the next 100 days, workers in Ohio will be doing everything we can to re-elect the most pro-worker Senator in the U.S. Senate. We never have to wonder about where Sherrod stands: he always stands with Ohio workers,” said vice president of the Mahoning-Trumbull AFL-CIO Central Labor Council Jose Arroyo.
• “No one has fought harder for Ohio auto workers than Sherrod Brown – he is making sure the next generation of American-made vehicles are built here in Ohio, by Ohio workers,” said UAW Local 1112 President George Goranitis. “When GM announced the closure of the Lordstown plant, Sherrod stood with the Mahoning Valley and did everything he could to protect good-paying jobs.”
• “The future of our state comes down to the election on November 5, and we’re going to make sure the future of our students and educators is strong by reelecting Sherrod Brown,” said [Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa] Cropper. “Whether it’s by quadrupling the tax deduction educators can take for out-of-pocket classroom expenses, fighting for the Social Security Fairness Act to ensure educators receive full social security benefits, or making housing more affordable for our members – Sherrod will always fight for us.”

MANSFIELD

Richland Source: Local labor leaders, workers host ‘Workers for Sherrod’ campaign event in Mansfield

• “Sherrod fought to include the strongest ever Buy America provisions in the  Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make sure that our bridges, roads, and runways – like those at Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport – are made by American workers with materials made right here in America,” said Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary Treasurer Mike Knisley.
• “I can confidently say the choice for Senate in Ohio is crystal clear. Sherrod has consistently stood by Ohio workers, and I’ve had the privilege of witnessing his steadfast dedication firsthand,” said Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga. “The Dignity of Work is more than just a slogan for Sherrod, it’s how he wakes up and does his job every day. I’m glad to be here in Sherrod’s hometown – the place that sparked his dedication to fighting for the dignity of all workers.”
• “Sherrod has always stood strong with us to crack down on illegal steel dumping from foreign companies and even stood up to his own party to block bad trade deals that harm Ohio steelworkers and ship Ohio jobs overseas,” said USW Local 169 President Steve Ackerman.

• “When Sherrod began his career, he would spend his time in union halls in Mansfield, talking to workers about the issues that matter most to them,” said IBEW 688 Business Manager and Financial Secretary Brian McPeek. “That’s how he’s spent his whole career: listening to workers and then delivering for them. And no one has fought harder for Ohio workers than Sherrod Brown – he saved the pensions of more than 100,000 Ohioans, he’s stood on the picket lines with us, and he’s fought to protect our overtime pay.”

 

FINDLAY

WTOL: Workers for Sherrod make stop in Findlay

WTOL: “Speakers talked with local workers at USW Local 207L. Workers for Sherrod is a statewide tour meant to highlight US Senator Sherrod Brown and the things he has done to fight for workers in Ohio. Supporters talked about how he fought to save the pensions of more than 100,000 Ohio workers.”

Mike Knisley, Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council Secretary-Treasurer: “He has all of Ohio’s best interest at heart. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Democrat or Republican, Independent whether you vote, don’t vote. It doesn’t really matter to him.”  

Norwalk Reflector: Labor Stumps For Sherrod

• During a stop in Findlay at the United Steelworkers 207L building, the Workers for Sherrod coalition endorsed Brown’s reelection, citing a long record delivering for Ohio workers.
• “I can confidently say the choice for Senate is crystal clear,” Jeff Krantz, the president of the Ohio State Association of Letter Carriers, said.
• Those included passing the SFC Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act and the Butch Lewis Act, both named after Ohioans. Brown has also played a part in other crucial legislation such as the Protect Letter Carriers Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and in the fight against fentanyl.
• “No one fights harder for Ohio than Sherrod Brown,” Wernet said. “No one fights harder for workers than Sherrod Brown. No one fights harder for retirees than Sherrod Brown.” 

LORAIN

The Chronicle-Telegram: “Workers for Sherrod” campaign tour stops in Amherst

• Ken Kudela, president of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 23, said Brown has shown through his time in office that he would “fight for workers.”
• Kudela referenced Brown’s support for the 2023 Restoring Overtime Pay Act, which extended eligibility for paid overtime work, and work to protect the pensions of union workers in the state through his support of the Butch Lewis Act, part of the American Rescue Plan Act.
• “Time and time again, he has stood shoulder to shoulder with us,” Kudela said. “He has always been a steadfast champion for the dignity of every worker.”
• Knisley and Burga said Brown has been pushing for a national industrial policy in the Senate, federal investment in manufacturing and infrastructure projects that they said would directly benefit workers in Lorain County and across the state.
• “If you ever want to talk about a real patriot for America, it’s Sherrod Brown,” Knisley said.

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