STANDING WITH COLUMBUS TEACHERS, FAMILIES AS STRIKE COMMENCES

Union brothers and sisters across Ohio are asking how they can help the nearly 4,500 members of the Columbus Education Association (CEA) who are sacrificing their financial well-being to fight for the schools that Columbus students deserve. Ninety-four percent of CEA members voted to strike on Sunday evening and hit the picket lines across Columbus bright and early on Monday.

The best way to support students, educators, and our community during this strike is honor the picket line and to join with Columbus educators urging the school board to end the strike and agree to CEA’s common sense demands at the bargaining table, says CEA President John Coneglio.

OCSEA members who can are encouraged to join the picket lines across the city Monday-Friday, 7 AM - 4:30 PM or to make a financial contributions to the CEA Strike Fund. The OCSEA State Board of Directors approved a donation to the teachers' strike funds in Columbus and Niles, Ohio where a strike vote is pending. To find a local picket line near you go HERE. Community members are also encouraged to contact the Columbus Board of Education and demand that that they bargain a fair contract. You can see all the ways to help at CEAOhio.org/strike or get the "How Can I Help? flier HERE.

Standing in #Solidarity with Columbus Education Association teachers

OCSEA stands with Columbus Education Association (CEA) union members who voted overwhelmingly this month to issue a 10-day strike notice. This came about as bargaining talks broke down and the labor bargaining team was, literally, left by management sitting alone at the bargaining table. CEA members make up one of the largest school districts in Ohio, Columbus City Schools (CCS). Just this week, a federal mediator has asked both parties to return to the bargaining table. That first sit-down is expected to happen today, Wednesday, August 10.

OCSEA members can follow the bargaining news on Facebook @ColumbusEA, on Instagram @ColumbusEA or at their website: ceaohio.org. Follow the hashtag: #ColumbusStudentsDeserve

There are many OCSEA members whose children attend Columbus City Schools. As a union, we urge all OCSEA members to stand in solidarity with the teachers who educate and care for our children. Stay tuned in the event that your efforts are needed to show our support for CEA through pickets or other collective actions. In the event of a strike, we ask that families stand in solidarity with these efforts and do not cross any picket lines.

“The vote...is a vote of confidence in our bargaining team and our fight for the safe, properly maintained, fully resourced schools Columbus students deserve,” said Regina Fuentes, the CEA spokesperson. CEA supports smaller class sizes, full-time Art, Music, and P.E. teachers at the elementary level, functional heating and air-conditioning in classrooms, necessary planning time at the elementary level, a cap on the number of class periods during the school day, and other working conditions that recruit and retain the best educators for our students.

Fuentes continued, “CEA has consistently maintained that we are fighting not just for CEA members, but for our students and community. That is why CEA will continue that fight until a fair agreement is reached for the schools Columbus students deserve.”