Neutrality agreements limit information sharing

Dear Editor,
The steady growth and prosperity of business is a vital lifeblood for our regional and state economy. Here in Union County, where I have lived for 20 years, well-run businesses have always underpinned a healthy lifestyle for employers, workers, and families. A good example is Honda’s commitment to a $4.4 billion investment and the addition of hundreds of new jobs in Ohio, where it already operates five of its 12 U.S. factories. Initiatives such as this continue an important labor trend and the reshaping of Ohio’s future.
A darker labor trend, however, threatens the fairness of the employer-employee relationship so vital to successful business. Some organized labor campaigns still use so-called “neutrality agreements,” pressuring non-union employers to keep silent. When workers come to their employers with questions about what the union is telling them, employers can’t answer. They can’t even help employees find good information.
Labor unions can be a critical component to Ohio’s economic growth, already representing 13% of the wage and salary workers in this state. Yet, the fairness and transparency between employers and workers is even more important.
We need to oppose the use of Neutrality Agreements and make sure our employers and their workers share the right to free speech and fair information.
Lisa Cooper
Hinton Mill Road