Protesters, non-union workers clash at racino site

Police presence increases at OH racino site after union protesters, non-union workers clash

3/23/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A United Auto Workers Local 174 sign stands outside their building in Romulus, Mich. on Friday, March 22, 2013. With 14.4 million members, unions still can be a potent political force at the ballot box. But protests in recent years over the passage of right-to-work laws in Michigan and Indiana, clashes over collective bargaining in Wisconsin and Ohio and a sharp drop in union elections across the U.S. have raised larger questions.
A United Auto Workers Local 174 sign stands outside their building in Romulus, Mich. on Friday, March 22, 2013. With 14.4 million members, unions still can be a potent political force at the ballot box. But protests in recent years over the passage of right-to-work laws in Michigan and Indiana, clashes over collective bargaining in Wisconsin and Ohio and a sharp drop in union elections across the U.S. have raised larger questions.

NORTHFIELD, Ohio (AP) — Police say they will increase their presence outside an Ohio racino construction site after a clash between union protesters and non-union workers building the facility.

Northfield police Chief Mark Wentz says picketing began this week outside the Hard Rock Rocksino Norhtfield Park site. The Akron Beacon Journal reports that Wentz says no charges were filed and there were no serious injuries.

The chief says there was some damage to a pickup truck, some tools were taken and someone ran over a protester's foot after about 40 protesters crowded around the entrance drive as nonunion employees came to work.

The newspaper reports that union protesters are upset that nonunion labor is being used to build the gambling and entertainment complex.