On July 1, 1979, 3,400 employees in the city of Toledo, including police and firefighters, went on strike after reaching an impasse with city officials over wage increases.
As one of those walking the picket line, I witnessed firsthand the 48 hours of chaos that ensued. This large-scale strike has been widely considered as the major catalyst for the subsequent enactment of Ohio’s public sector collective bargaining law in 1983.
It is this law that provides an avenue for workers and management to resolve their differences without resorting to illegal job actions…