The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association
Union News / September 28, 2022
Honor those who served: Join us for OCSEA's Veterans Day Celebration on November 12
OCSEA's Veterans Conference and Veterans Day celebration will take place on Saturday, November 12 at the Polaris Hilton in Columbus. All members are invited to attend the event to honor our nation's veterans and to celebrate OCSEA's member veterans, past and present. Registration is now open via Zoom. During the registration process, attendees can choose to attend in person or via Zoom. The in-person event will take place at the Hilton Columbus/Polaris, 8700 Lyra Dr, Columbus, OH 43240. Get information on lodging and more at OCSEA.org/Veterans.
Now taking nominations for veteran & veteran supporter of the year awards
We need your nominations! During the November 12 celebration of veterans, the OCSEA Board of Directors' Veterans Affairs Committee will honor a member veteran and a member veteran supporter who go above and beyond in their service to veterans and to their communities at large. The committee is asking for your nominations for the following service awards to be presented at the event: 1) OCSEA Member Veteran of the Year, and 2) OCSEA Member Veteran Supporter of the Year.
Nomination forms are below or at OCSEA.org/Veterans:
The deadline to nominate a member in either category is Oct. 26, 2022. Email completed nomination forms to gison@ocsea.org or mail to OCSEA, ATTN: Veterans Conference Nominations, 390 Worthington Rd., Suite A, Westerville, OH 43082.
Get skilled: Attend an upcoming union training
Last week, members from OCSEA Chapters 800, 900, 1320, 3100, 5725 and 8320 who work in ODOT District 8 attended the union's Basic Steward Training. The skill-building session helped some learn more about the union contract and the power that comes with contractual knowledge and enforcement on the job. It also helped others refresh their union skills after a training hiatus brought on by the pandemic.
Are you interested in building your union knowledge? Your union is here to help! Contact your chapter leadership or OCSEA staff representative to see if there is a training in your area soon or to request a Basic Steward Training or other union training. The OCSEA Labor Education Department can also assist you with finding training options or to schedule a class for your area. Call 1-800-969-4702 ext. 2656 or by email HERE to get started.
Here are a few upcoming trainings that might interest you:
- OCSEA ShopTalk: Crime Victim Compensation – for Corrections and DYS members only
Thursday, Oct. 22 | 9 a.m. on Zoom | Register now!
Corrections and Youth Services staff who have experienced violence in the workplace may need assistance with out-of-pocket expenses not covered by other sources such as Occupational Injury Leave (OIL) or Workers Compensation. This OCSEA ShopTalk presentation, led by Shawn Moser, Lead Investigator of Crime Victim Services, will provide an overview of the Ohio Crime Victims Compensation Program administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
- OCSEA Evidence, Investigatory Interviews and Pre-Discipline Training
Thursday, October 27 | 5-8 p.m. on Zoom | Register now!
This is an online Evidence, Investigatory Interviews and Pre-Discipline Training open to all OCSEA dues-paying members. The training, presented by OCSEA Staff Representatives Jennie Lewis and Patti Hill, will focus on developing skills in representing members, including how to gather the necessary information to prepare grievances for the optimal outcome. The training will last about 2.5-3 hours.
Hocking Hills Lodge opens soon; OCSEA members get 15% off lodge discounts
Hocking Hills State Park Lodge and Conference Center will open its doors once again on October 8 after a fire destroyed the facility six years ago. A ribbon cutting event will be held on October 8 to celebrate the opening and will include official remarks, tours of the new lodge and refreshments. Limited parking is available at the lodge. Additional parking with a shuttle to the lodge is available at John Glenn Astronomy Park, 20531 OH-664, Logan, OH 43138. Shuttles will run from 12:30 p.m.-1:25 p.m. and return guests to the remote lot after the ceremony.
Hocking Hills Lodge, with 81 rooms and an indoor and outdoor pool, will be the premier way to experience the beauty of the Hocking Hills region with picturesque trails, caves, waterfalls, and more while staying in refined rustic accommodations—all within Hocking Hills State Park. Lodge rooms will be available for booking soon!
And just a reminder that OCSEA members receive 15% off at eligible Great Ohio Lodges. The discount can be applied to online reservations and phone reservations for the "Best Available Rate," Sunday-Thursday using discount code: OCSEA. Phone reservations can be made at 1-800-282-7275 by requesting the “OCSEA rate.” Explore the Great Ohio Lodges at greatohiolodges.com.
See more member-only discounts at OCSEA.org/Extras.
From Columbus to Philly, museum workers fight for union rights
As workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art hit the picket line this week, more and more museum and cultural workers are seeking union protections and demanding collective bargaining rights. Just last week, Columbus Museum of Art workers and their union, Columbus Museum of Art Workers United (CMAU), asked for (but were denied) voluntary recognition for their union that would allow them to collectively bargain. They have a lot of support in the Columbus community, too, including all Franklin County Commissioners as well as numerous area legislators and elected officials. The group of employees is now awaiting a decision from the National Labor Relations Board to move forward with an official union election.
This is on the heels of the Wexner Center of the Arts on the campus of the Ohio State University, asking for recognition of their union, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, earlier this year. Ohio Council 8 is OCSEA’s sister union representing city and local government employees.
Now, OCSEA’s affiliate union, AFSCME, represents more museum and “cultural workers” than any other union in the country. Generally speaking, museum employees are often required to have advanced degrees but many are under-compensated, have little job security and are afforded little to no benefits. But museum workers in Philly and now in the Columbus area have had enough.
In Philly, the employer was forced to recognize the union two years ago after a fair and free union election, but management continues to refuse to bargain in good faith for a first contract. In July, thousands of AFSCME members, including leaders from OCSEA, joined those workers outside the museum for a rally to try to get management off the dime. As of this writing, those workers are officially on strike.
During COVID, workers from Starbucks, Amazon, even libraries, started getting organized. That’s because they saw how unions were able to use their muscle during the health crisis to ensure worker safety and that COVID protocols were followed. Unlike so many workers without a union, organized union employees were also able to fight off layoffs and downsizing when the country shut down and the economy took a nosedive.
Fast forward two years later and unions are still the most important factor for retaining employees, especially in the public sector. During such a critical time, unions are helping to raise the bar and make public sector jobs more attractive by ensuring better compensation, better benefits and better safety protections.
We send out our strong support to these museum workers!
Learn more at ohio.gov/ohioccc