POSTED BY MARTIN KICH

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown has stated that he is considering a run for the Democratic nomination in 2020.  He has been widely quoted as asserting that if the Democrats want win again in 2020, they need to support working people in a broad variety of ways—most fundamentally by supporting collective bargaining rights and eliminating obstacles to unionization. Although Senator Brown may not be the perfect candidate—and no one should be expected to be—I would be very hard-pressed to identify a major issue on which I fundamentally disagree with his positions.

Despite his being in the middle of a re-election campaign, Senator Brown provided a letter supporting our chapter’s efforts to secure a fair contract. We are very thankful for his expression of support, as well as the expressions of support by other public figures including Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley.

Here is Senator Brown’s letter:

President Cheryl Schrader

Wright State University

3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.

260 University Hall

Dayton, OH 45435

President Schrader and Members of the Board of Trustees:

I have long supported Wright State University because you are a vital institution in this community, and in our state. Wright State is critical to the economic and cultural health of the Dayton region and beyond. As such, I  join many in the community in their concern over the well-being of this anchor institution amid the ongoing contract negotiations.

Having met with the different sides during many negotiations between employers and workers during my time in office, I recognize that it is a tense, often frustrating process. I urge you to reconsider your approach to these negotiations, specifically the hard line you have taken with the Wright State faculty. As teachers and researchers, the faculty members are instrumental to serving Ohio students and building and sustaining WSU’s reputation across the region and the country. They develop and maintain relationships with students and community partners alike, and I encourage both sides to stay at the tab le until an acceptable contract is reached for all parties involved.

I hope the impasse can end and that all sides will engage in good-faith negotiations to prevent a faculty strike, which would adversely thousands of students and others throughout the region. Please do not hesitate to reach out if there is an appropriate way that my office can be helpful as you go forward.

Respectfully,

Sherrod Brown

United States Senate

Please sign and share a petition of support for our chapter’s efforts to get a fair contract:

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stand-with-wright-statefaculty.