Organized labor proponents repeated attacks Monday that Republicans in Columbus are unfairly solving budget deficits on the backs of middle class workers, while union officials say one group of public employees in Toledo may already be victims of the approach.

Opponents of cuts to public services — as well as a proposed bill to limit collective-bargaining rights — held rallies in Toledo Monday in advance of Gov. John Kasich's presentation Tuesday of his proposed budget, which is expected to include significant cutbacks.

At a rally at the University of Toledo Health Sciences Campus, the former Medical College of Ohio, union officials said about 75 UT food service and gift shop employees could be laid off and have their jobs outsourced to a private food-service management company. Union officials said the possible layoffs are tied to the deep cuts to higher education they expect Mr. Kasich will announce today.

"This would be one of the first shots around the state," said Tom Kosek, president of AFSCME Local 2415.

University officials said they are in discussions with a private company to take over food service, and that a decision to outsource food service and gift shop positions could come in the next few weeks. But Larry Burns, university vice president for external affairs, said the contract discussions are part of its standard budget process, and added that the university would be considering outsourcing the jobs regardless of the cuts.

"It has nothing to do with what the governor says," Mr. Burns said.

The university expects to save about $500,000 by outsourcing the jobs. Mr. Burns said if UT does contract for food services, leaders would try to include as a provision that the private company hire as many laid-off employees as possible.

In a rally earlier Monday, religious, labor, and civil rights leaders joined union members and Democratic officials at Warren AME Church in central Toledo to show solidarity against Senate Bill 5, the controversial measure that would prohibit public employee strikes, limit what subjects could be discussed at the bargaining table, eliminate binding arbitration as a means to force resolution to police and firefighter contract disputes, and force employees to pay at least 15 percent of their health care premiums.

"This assault of Senate Bill 5 on them is an assault on us," said the Rev. Cedric Brock, pastor of Mount Nebo Church on North Detroit Avenue and president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance. "Our whole community is at stake."

Speakers said they were fighting to save the middle class and they chastised Republicans. Many brought up the financial collapse and subsequent bailout by the federal government.

"It's a tragedy for our nation that the people who destroyed our economy are now blaming public employees for the mess they created," said Francine Lawrence, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers. "This is truly class warfare."

The bill has cleared the Ohio Senate and will almost certainly be passed by the House, but Democratic state elected officials Mondayrepeated vows to fight for a repeal.

"It will never become law. You know why?" State Rep. Matt Szollosi (D., Oregon) asked the crowd. "Because this will be on the ballot in November, and there's no way the people of Ohio are going to stand for this."

Dozens of off-duty firefighters and police crowded behind the speakers. They said they'll be ready in November to support a repeal, and to oppose Republican candidates.

"I don't know how the Republican Party has not assessed the ripple effects this will cause during the election cycle," said Dan Wagner, president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association.

Senate Bill 5 has drawn thousands of Ohioans to the Statehouse in past hearings, but it drew only a trickle of spectators to Columbus yesterday, not even enough to fill a hearing room. Hearings will continue tomorrow and Thursday after a break Tuesday for Mr. Kasich to unveil his budget. No vote is expected before next week at the earliest.

The low attendance at the most recent hearings may be an indication that opponents of the bill expect that the final decision won't be made in a legislative chamber or on the governor's desk but rather at the polls this November via a likely voter referendum.

Randy Smith, a member of the Forest Hills School Board in Newtown near Cincinnati and a supporter of the bill, urged lawmakers at the hearing to adjust a playing field that he said has tilted too far away from taxpayers. He voiced support for provisions of the bill that do away with automatic longevity or step increases in salary in teachers' contracts in favor of a merit-pay system that is not yet fully defined.

"We have evolved to a place where school boards treat teachers as commodity labor," Mr. Smith said. "Every teacher with the same years of service and degree is treated exactly alike for salary and retention. Teachers are our classroom managers. They are not commodity laborers. ... They are human beings who respond to incentives and rewards as well as constructive criticism, with the goal of improving the teacher's performance.''

Mr. Kasich, a Republican, is strongly pushing the bill, offering it as a one way for local governments, K-12 schools, and public universities to help control their costs in the face of likely budget cuts that he will propose Tuesday.

The University of Cincinnati's Ohio Poll released Mondayshowed that 40 percent of Ohio adults approve of Mr. Kasich's performance during his two months as governor. Forty-seven percent disapprove of his performance.

That's lower than any initial approval rating recorded by the Ohio Poll for Mr. Kasich's predecessor, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, who scored 68 percent; Republican Gov. Bob Taft, 49 percent; and GOP Gov. George Voinovich, 61 percent. Mr. Kasich's approval rating is higher than that scored by Democratic Gov. Richard Celeste, at 32 percent in the early to mid-1980s.

Of all of these governors, the one with the highest initial approval rating, Mr. Strickland, was the only one who failed to win re-election.

Contact Jim Provance at: provance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496.

First Published March 15, 2011, 1:26 a.m.