Cincinnati

I am troubled by Mayor John Cranley’s apparent attempt to circumnavigate the legal collective bargaining process by seeking to push through raises outside the legal process for bargaining public sector contracts.

Cranley appears to have a profound lack of understanding of the Ohio Public Employees Labor Relations Act (PELRA) that governs public-sector contract negotiations and the roles of the parties to the bargaining process.

Not only do Cranley’s apparent recklessness and likely politically motivated, uninformed efforts expose a glaring lack of respect for the bargaining process, but he also opened a gaping hole in the legal negotiation of labor agreements and prompted the filing of an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP).

He is acting outside the purview of his office. The simple fact is, Cranley is working to undermine the power of the city manager and City Council (who are the authorized agents to negotiate with the unions), and he is overstepping his bounds as mayor.

Cranley apparently doesn’t understand his place and his out-of-control recklessness demonstrates a lack of understanding of how to govern a modern city. The “Boss Cranley” days are over. He needs to understand that.

Our police officers and other first responders deserve a fair and honest wage for their work – no one denies that. However, the agreement must be achieved legally, rightly and defensibly. The mayor does not seem to have an appreciation of any of those considerations.

DC Bails-Forbes, Kennedy Heights