Ohio Democratic Party

09/16/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/16/2024 13:18

Ohio Workers “Chide” And “Condemn” Bernie Moreno For “Selling Out Workers” And “Stiffing His Employees”

Ohio Workers "Chide" And "Condemn" Bernie Moreno For "Selling Out Workers" And "Stiffing His Employees"

September 16, 2024

Columbus, OH - Ohio workers across the state have "condemn[ed]" Bernie Moreno for his "very dishonest statement[s]" about "return[ing] to the auto industry" and "slam[med]" Moreno for being "nothing but a liar" and "a big fat cat."

From his record of "selling out workers" and "stiffing his employees" to "lying to [workers'] faces" about selling Chinese-made cars that Ohio workers say "shipped Ohio jobs overseas," Ohioans know Bernie Moreno "is not for workers" and has "always been for himself."

Read / Watch What Ohio Workers Are Saying:

The Statehouse News Bureau: In US Senate race, unions chide Moreno for central Ohio dealership plans
Sarah Donaldson
September 7, 2024

  • [Labor unions] bashed the political newcomer [Bernie Moreno] Friday over plans to construct a car dealership north of Columbus.
  • Moreno has maintained for more than a year that he sold off business interests, including more than a dozen car dealerships he once owned in the Midwest, in preparation for political candidacy.
  • But Moreno sought and signed off on $40 million worth of Mercedes-Benz financing and bought a plot of property in Sunbury for the auto storefront, according to Delaware County Recorder's Office documents. NBC News originally broke the story.
  • Union leaders with the local AFL-CIO, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council and United Auto Workers held a news conference across the street from the future auto storefront Friday…
  • "It's a free market economy," [Dorsey Hager, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council] said. "But when he comes out and he wins the primary and he says he's going to focus 100% on his Senate run… obviously that's a very dishonest statementIt's going to be his name on the dealership…"

LISTEN TO MORE FROM THE STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU HERE

Jeff Gase, UAW Region 2B Central Ohio CAP Council Chairperson: "[Moreno's] just a big fat cat. He wants all the profits. He wants the money. Wants it for himself."

Sarah Donaldson, The Statehouse News Bureau: "…union leaders were standing in front of the quintessential union mascot, a fat cat inflatable. It basked in the sun Friday off a busy road in Sunbury, across from a plot of property Moreno bought earlier this year that will eventually host a Mercedes Benz dealership."

Jamie Shumaker, Ohio AFL-CIO Central Ohio CLC Executive Director: "I don't buy [Moreno's excuses] one bit."

WATCH MORE FROM WTOV HERE

WTOV: Union leaders criticize Moreno, back Brown for supporting workers
Jesse Cain
September 3, 2024

  • Ohio workers denounced the character of Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee for Ohio U.S. Senate, and threw their support to the Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown.
  • Union leaders attacked Moreno's integrity about business decisions affecting his employees.
  • "He's always catered to the rich people," UMWA Ohio COMPAC Coordinator Dave Dilly said. "You know, [he] had a Mercedes dealership and that kind of stuff. And he's made a lot of money…he screwed some of his employees and got caught with it…"

Times Leader: Unions slam Moreno
Gage Vota
September 4, 2024

  • The United Mine Workers of America and United Steel Workers held a joint press conference Tuesday morning to condemn Bernie Moreno, the Republican nominee for United States Senate in Ohio.
  • "We don't agree with what Bernie Moreno is doing," said Frank Papini, president of USW Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees. "I think [he is] a fraud, he's caused a lot of problems with workers and we're here today as miners, steelworkers, and all other laborers to refute what he has to say."
  • Papini added that he believes Moreno is not for workers
  • Moreno testified that he did not retain documents from the dealership when he sold it as part of M11 Motors LLC to new owners. Moreno added that he shredded documents sometime in late 2020.
  • "He's a used car dealer, and has no idea what a good day's work is," Papini said.
  • [United Mine Workers of America Local 1304 Financial Secretary Mel Woods, a third-generation coal miner] said. "…Moreno is nothing but a liar."
  • [Woods] then echoed Papini's sentiment of not trusting Moreno because he allegedly shredded documents.
  • "As far as Bernie Moreno, I only know what I've read," [United Mine Workers of America Ohio Coal Miners Political Action Coordinator Dave Dilly] said. "He was a car salesman and it's my understanding that he screwed over some of his employees. He's always been for himself and for rich people…"

The Athens Messenger: Workers share thoughts on US Senate race
Anna Millar
August 28, 2024

  • A group of union members and workers from Athens County gathered at the community park in The Plains on Monday… condemning Republican Party candidate, Bernie Moreno.
  • Each speaker shared their thoughts on the upcoming senate election, and heavy criticism of Moreno's past actions.
  • As the speakers continued, Malone, Linscott and Klintworth each shared similar complaints against Moreno, as they referenced two lawsuits regarding worker compensation which he has faced. Each speaker described Moreno's actions as "stiffing his employees."
  • Moreno faced a lawsuit in 2014 from Michael Falcone, a former employee who stated he had not received his agreed upon compensation and was fired after inquiring about the situation, according to Cleveland.com.
  • Additionally, the group of speakers highlighted their anger with Moreno for "shredding documents" in relation to a separate lawsuit.
  • Moreno faced another lawsuit in 2017 from former employee Omar Adem, who accused him of routinely leaving Adem unpaid for overtime hours. Additionally, Moreno was found to have either lost or destroyed necessary evidence to the case, according to pdfs of the court documents available on NBC4.com.

WATCH MORE FROM WLIO HERE

WLIO: "Citing concerns for Ohio's labor force, local unions came out today against Bernie Moreno… speaking out about the concerns they have with the lack of respect they say Moreno has for Ohio workers."

WLIO: "With the court actions against him for not paying earned overtime to his own employees, and the recent NBC News report that he has bought land to get back into the auto sales business, these laborers say that's not what Ohio needs."

Tiffany McKee, United Steelworkers: "Well as a staff representative, I fight against exactly what Bernie Moreno is every single day, against people that want to take advantage of our workers."

Lima News: UAW continues criticism of Moreno
Jacob Espinosa
August 28, 2024

  • [Lima autoworkers] criticized [Moreno] in a press conference Wednesday.
  • "He's lying to our faces and getting rich," UAW Local 1219 President Jeff Adams said. "He's a megamillionaire and has spent years selling out Ohio workers."
  • "He stole from his own workers, and he steals from people that he might see every day," UAW Lima-Troy Cap Council chairperson George Jeffries said. "What's going to keep him representing us 14 million Ohioans, whom he never expects to meet?"

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