Schiavoni has championed collective bargaining rights for workers, and has actively opposed attempts to weaken these rights. In 2011, Schiavoni helped lead his fellow Democratic senators in opposition to Senate Bill 5, a controversial piece of legislation that would have eliminated collective bargaining powers for many public employees and changed collective bargaining rules for local government employees. The bill also included provisions affecting contracts and rules for teachers, police officers, and firefighters. Schiavoni was ranking minority member on the Insurance, Labor and Commerce Committee - where the bill had its hearings - during this time. After Senate Bill 5 was signed into law, Ohio citizens collected signatures and placed a referendum on the November ballot (State Issue 2). Schiavoni helped rally voters to repeal Senate Bill 5 at the ballot. Issue 2 - which would repeal SB 5 - was passed by the voters in November 2011. It passed by a margin of 61% - 39%, dealing a victory to unions and a blow to the administration of Ohio Governor John Kasich. Schiavoni is opposed to fast track trade agreements and has urged the US Congress "to oppose fast track legislation on trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership." "Communities throughout the Ohio Valley have been devastated by previous fast track trade agreements, and we can't allow that to happen again. We need fair trade deals that grow our economy and stop good paying jobs from leaving our shores." Schiavoni has made water quality issues a priority during his time at the Ohio Statehouse. In 2015, he introduced a bipartisan resolution to address water quality issues statewide. The resolution would allow the use of state bonds to help fund local sewer and water improvement projects. The Dayton City Commission later passed a resolution in support of Schiavoni's legislation. In January 2016, it was discovered that residents of Sebring, Ohio, had not been properly notified of high lead levels in their drinking water. Senator Schiavoni and Rep. John Boccieri sent multiple letters to the Ohio EPA, asking for additional information. Schiavoni then introduced legislation requiring faster public notification of hazardous drinking water. Several of Schiavoni's proposals were later incorporated into Governor Kasich's plan to address the Sebring water crisis. Schiavoni proposed legislation to require Ohio's governor to get approval from a state commission before closing or selling state-operated institutions such as prisons or centers for individuals with developmental disabilities. The proposed state commission would include "lawmakers, officials of the agency in charge of the institution, others who have worked with the agency, a union member, and members of the public."