Ohio’s governor is the latest SEIU-funded politician to return campaign favors with a law that greatly expands the union’s membership. Across the nation, SEIU has won the right to represent tens of thousands of independent homecare and healthcare workers who contract with state governments. Politicians in turn give those individuals the “right” to be represented by SEIU (often without a real secret ballot vote) and pay dues.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer puts it, well, plainly:

With a wave of his pen this week, Gov. Ted Strickland handed the increasingly powerful Service Employees International Union a golden opportunity — the chance to increase its Ohio membership by about 25 percent.

The SEIU, which doled out $134,800 to the Democratic governor during his successful campaign in 2006, will now have the chance to organize about 7,000 home health care workers working as independent contractors for state government.

That’s quite a win for SEIU. It may have something to do with the fact that, ss the paper reports, “In recent years, the union has handed out contributions to Democrats like a nurse does aspirin.”