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Chairman Defends Ohio Democratic Party Against Campaign Worker Complaints

STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
David Pepper is chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party

In July, the Ohio Democratic Party recognized a new union that was formed to represent campaign workers. Now, a few weeks before the election, that union is taking issue with the party, which has long leaned on labor to support its candidates. 

Laura Riemers with the new Campaign Worker’s Guild says the party won’t sign a fair contract.

“You know, paying workers a fair wage and making sure workers aren’t paying hundreds of dollars a month to do their jobs.”

Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper says it’s only been a few weeks but he says the party is offering good pay and benefits.

“We are in line with the very agreements that, in other states, they’ve celebrated as steps forward but obviously, certainly, we can look for ways to improve and that’s what we are doing.”

Pepper says the party will continue to negotiate on a contract which he says will serve as a positive model for other states.