Kasich Blocks Certain Home Health Workers From Unionizing

Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich has rescinded a pair of directives issued by his predecessor that allowed independent home health care and child-care workers doing business with the state to unionize. In his executive order, Kasich says a main benefit of unionization was health insurance coverage, which is now widely available elsewhere. He's rescinding orders signed by then-Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, for home health care workers in 2007 and for child-care workers in 2008. The president of one of the unions said she was appalled Kasich would strip workers' rights in a unilateral move.  Kasich spokesperson Rob Nichols says the argument that independent, self-employed contractors are government workers "has always been on shaky ground."Union contracts for the two groups expire June 30.