COLUMBUS - An anti-labor bill that has gone nowhere in previous forms at the polls and in the Legislature is back, and even GOP leaders are shaking their heads over its reappearance.

        The bill would remove the requirement in some labor agreements that public employees join a union or pay union dues.

        It was introduced by Rep. Tom Brinkman, a Cincinnati Republican who has a habit of ruffling the feathers of his party's leaders.

        Its history has been painful for Republicans.

        In 1958, a similar ballot issue, known as the right-to-work initiative and backed by the GOP, mobilized organized labor and helped Democrats to a near-sweep of statewide offices as it was rejected 2-1.

        Robert Bennett, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party since 1988, said Friday it was unfortunate Mr. Brinkman introduced the bill so late in an election year.

        Even though union membership has dropped since the '50s, labor's political influence remains, especially with its traditional allies in the Democratic Party.

        “We're certainly not going down that path again as long as I'm chairman. Unions have been good in Ohio,” Mr. Bennett said. “They are not militant.

        “With term limits, there are no disciplines in our (legislative) caucuses,” Mr. Bennett said. “Brinkman, in my opinion, is not a very intelligent human being as a politician.”

        Mr. Brinkman said he's just fulfilling a campaign promise.

        “One reason I'm not a very intelligent politician is that when I keep my word, I keep it,” he said.

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