Hoffa arrives in OH, Teamsters arrive in Madison, Walker has to open the bldg



Moments ago. Hoffa in Columbus.

Teamsters President Jim Hoffa just arrived at the Statehouse in Ohio, joined by 500 of our Teamster brothers and sisters. A Senate committee will vote on the hated SB 5 bill, which would strip government workers of their collective bargaining rights. The crowd was expected to reach 20,000 to protest the bill.

@dioxindi tweets:

RT @aflcio: RT @ohioaflcio: Thousands already at statehouse to rally to save ohio's middle class! #standupoh #statesos

According to an advisory:

Thousands of Ohio working families will converge on the Statehouse in Columbus on Tuesday, March 1 for a “Rally to Save Ohio’s Middle Class” starting 10:30 a.m. and continuing all day. The massive rally, organized by the middle class Ohioans from all across the state, comes in response to the recently-proposed Senate Bill 5, a blatant assault on middle-class working families—one in a series of attacks on the middle class across the country.

The event will open with the Pledge of Allegiance led by American veterans and the rendering of honors by a color guard unit during the national anthem. The event will also include testimony against Senate Bill 5 and Gov. John Kasich’s attacks on the middle class from workers and their families, members of the business community, public and private sector workers, current and former members of the military and more. Musicians, including the rock group the Street Dogs, which features members of the renowned punk band the Dropkick Murphys, a bag pipe ensemble of firefighters and other local musicians, will perform as well.

And in Wisconsin, our Teamster brothers and sisters will again be in Madison rallying as Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker prepares to give a speech this afternoon.

We understand Walker locked the Capitol, only letting one person in for every person who leaves. But we also understand AFSCME got a restraining order forcing him to open the building.

Stay tuned.