Activist of the Year Award

Deadline extended:
Nominations due March 31, 2022!

In 2020, OCSEA unveiled its first-ever “Activist of the Year Award.” The new OCSEA Board of Directors' activism award was presented to and named for Phil Carter, an avid union activist in the Ohio Dept. of Transportation, for his dedicated service to OCSEA and the labor movement. This marks the beginning of a new OCSEA award to be given ANNUALLY called, “The Phil Carter Activist of the Year Award.” Recipients are nominated by their union brothers  and sisters and must meet the high standards of union solidarity, education and mobilization that Phil Carter exemplifies as a union leader.

Nominate an activist!

Do you know an OCSEA member who has all the qualities of exemplary union activist? Nominate them for OCSEA's "Phil Carter Activist of the Year Award." Some examples of exemplary union activism include educating members on the value of a union contract, workplace involvement and activism that drives union values, mobilizing and organizing union membership, bringing positivity to the union role and going above and beyond to bring union members together in solidarity.

1. Nominate a member activist at UnionYes@ocsea.org OR mail to:
   ATTN: OCSEA Communications Dept.- Phil Carter Activist Award
   390 Worthington Rd. – Suite A,
   Westerville, OH 43082-8331  
2. Tell us, in 500 words or less, why you think this member nominee should be honored with the Activist of the Year Award, including specific examples of their activism and union involvement.
3. Include high-resolution photos of the nominee, if able. 

The Activist of Year Award is announced annually by the OCSEA Board of Directors.. 

More about 2020 OCSEA Activist of the Year: 

Phil Carter

If you don’t know Phil Carter, he's a two-decade long union activist in the Ohio Dept. of Transportation with an avid dedication to service ub the labor movement. “Phil is more committed to the cause of labor than just about anyone you’ll ever meet,” said OCSEA President Chris Mabe at the virtual award ceremony for Phil in December 2020.

Phil is the chapter president of Knox/ Licking Chapter 4500, a member of the ODOT Assembly executive board, and a pony driver for ODOT District 5. As a pony driver, he’s been able to take full advantage of the relationships he has with everybody in that ODOT district as he drives to garages and offices all over Eastern Ohio. Through his work, he’s literally been able to “spread the union gospel,” he said in his own words. “He literally ‘walks the talk.’ When he walks into an ODOT office or garage, members listen,” said Pres. Mabe.

“Phil has been facing an uphill health battle this year, and we couldn’t have been more honored to give this award to Brother Carter, and to create this award with his name attached,” said Peggy Joseph, Phil’s OCSEA District 5 board representative. “There is no better union man than Phil Carter,” she said.