GOP sheriff asks Democrats to help resolve AK Steel lockout

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-29/1169318350294060.xml&storylist=cleveland

1/20/2007, 1:34 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) — The Republican sheriff of Butler County, unable to get help from his own party to end an 11-month lockout at AK Steel's Middletown Works, is turning to newly elected Democrats in Columbus and Washington.

Sheriff Rick Jones has written letters to Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, both Democrats who won GOP-held seats on Nov. 7, and asked them to intervene.

"It is of the utmost importance that you intervene in the negotiations to bring this 11-month-old lockout to a productive conclusion. Our community needs your help and support," Jones wrote. "I know it's very strange that a local Republican sheriff would ask two of the most powerful Democrats in the state of Ohio to do something, but I am."

Jones said Friday that he was frustrated that former Gov. Bob Taft, a Republican who served the maximum two consecutive terms, and former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, defeated by Brown in November, were not able to end the lockout. He said the toll the strike has taken on the county's residents is getting to him...

[annabanana]

1. Talk about a freebie... Strickland & Brown could jump

right on this and make bushels of political hay.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Why is a Sheriff stepping into this?

[doc03]

5. The way I understand it's a battle zone

you got people out of work for 11 months and the Sheriff is required by law to protect the f---ing scabs. I know a guy that had a temporary job where I work that went out there to work as a scab, he quit and came home a couple months ago it had gotten so bad there he didn't think it was worth it.
Buy the way he is a Repug, he didn't see where there was anything wrong with being a scab, just your typical Repug asshole.

[LiberalFighter]

3. Why doesn't he contact the local or state Chamber of Commerce

to encourage them to tell AK Steel's Middletown Works to settle?

[cmd]

4. Who does he want them to lean on?

The workers who have been locked out for 11 months or the company who has filled their places with scabs? Middletown, like all the other rust belt cities, is in bad shape. It depends on a
successful AK for its taxes. Almost a year ago I posted about the union workers being required to train their replacements. AK needs to end the lock out and get its union workers back to the
bargaining table. If Strickland and Brown can help bring it about, that will be wonderful.

[goforit]

6. Whata smart guy!! Its action not personal egos.