SUNBURY, Ohio — Workers gathered Friday morning at the future site of Bernie Moreno’s new car dealership in Sunbury, Ohio, criticizing the Senate candidate for his long-standing record of putting his own interests ahead of Ohio workers.
The demonstration follows recent revelations that Moreno invested over $9 million to open a new dealership, contradicting his previous claims of having “sold off all of his businesses to avoid conflicts of interest” while running for Senate.
Moreno’s return to the car dealership industry has drawn sharp rebuke from labor leaders, who argue that his track record of mistreating employees, avoiding fair pay, and contributing to job outsourcing makes him untrustworthy to represent Ohio workers.
“Bernie Moreno has been caught red-handed lying to Ohioans again,” said Jamie Schumaker, Executive Director of the Ohio AFL-CIO Central Labor Council. “For months, Moreno has been telling Ohioans he sold off all of his businesses, but that’s not true. He’s back in the car business, where he’s made a fortune at the expense of his employees.”
Moreno’s business practices have been scrutinized in multiple lawsuits accusing him of wage theft, including allegations that he stiffed employees out of overtime pay and shredded documents to avoid paying workers what they were owed. Labor leaders say his disregard for workers is emblematic of his career, and contrast it sharply with that of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, a staunch advocate for Ohio’s working class.
“While Sherrod Brown fights for workers, Bernie Moreno is a car salesman who stiffs his workers,” said Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Central Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council. “Now, Moreno is opening a new dealership to make himself even richer. We can’t trust him to do what’s best for anyone besides himself.”
In addition to wage theft, Moreno has been accused of race, gender, and age discrimination, with one former employee alleging Moreno berated her for asking about work flexibility, telling her to “put your kids in f***ing daycare.”
Moreno’s return to the auto industry also raised concerns about his commitment to American jobs. He has long been criticized for selling the Chinese-made Buick Envision, a decision that some argue contributed to Ohio jobs being shipped overseas. Meanwhile, Moreno has opposed the existence of a minimum wage and expressed a refusal to work across the aisle on policies that benefit laborers.
“Bernie Moreno’s priority is getting richer, and he doesn’t care about the workers he screws over along the way,” said Jeff Gase, UAW Region 2B Central Ohio CAP Council Chairperson. “Whether it’s stealing his employees’ wages or selling Chinese-made cars, Moreno has repeatedly shown he will sell out workers while lining his own pockets.”
As Moreno’s record comes under increased scrutiny, supporters of Sherrod Brown emphasize the contrast between the two candidates. Brown, who has a long history of fighting for fair wages, worker protections, and job creation in Ohio, continues to be a champion of labor rights. Labor leaders argue that Brown’s advocacy for working families stands in stark opposition to Moreno’s self-serving agenda.
For Ohio workers, the stakes could not be clearer. While Sherrod Brown remains committed to fighting for their rights and well-being, Bernie Moreno’s actions suggest he is more focused on his own profits than the people of Ohio.
