The OCSEA/ODJFS Assembly recently sent out a correspondence to give Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services members a teleworking update and bring them up to speed on a meeting that took place between the union and management.
ODJFS union leaders recently notified members of ODJFS’s abrupt announcement to eliminate ALL teleworking within OUIO and OWD. The union was completely shocked as a labor/management agreement to continue the teleworking was just finalized in June.
Union members on the Teleworking Committee continued their fight on this issue by sitting down face-to-face with management. The union members of the Teleworking Committee asked ODJFS to reconsider the complete elimination of this teleworking, which impacts nearly 200 ODJFS staff. To the union’s dismay, ODJFS said it was not an option. OCSEA told management that it won’t stop fighting this “bad faith” decision that has resulted in a shocking about-face on the issue.
As is common with most negotiations, there was nothing clean and easy about this discussion. The union demanded another meeting, additional documents to justify such a move and a delay, at the very least. While next steps remain up in the air, the union asked specifically for:
- Supporting documentation for the elimination of teleworking, including financial reports, leasing information, vacancies and configuration updates.
- More time to discuss alternatives; management finally agreed to an additional meeting once all requested supporting documents were obtained.
- A delay until spring, as a means of avoiding bad winter weather and for the purposes of bringing this forward in agency-specific bargaining. Management said they want to start a phase-out of teleworking as planned in November. The union asked that they reconsider. Management said they will discuss with the director.
"Agreements are built on compromises and good faith, and the union has done its share. Now it’s time for management to step up. Given the work that both sides put in on a reasonable agreement regarding teleworking, we will continue to fight until the end," said ODJFS Assembly President Cindy Hill.
Hill personally thanked the union members of the Teleworking Committee for their dedication to their union sisters and brothers as well as the OCSEA-ODJFS staff who came out to the meeting to show their support.
She encouraged all ODJFS union members to attend the upcoming ODJFS Assembly meeting to give input, get activated and help the union move forward. The meeting is this Saturday, Sept. 23 at 10 a.m. at the OCSEA Union Hall, 390 Worthington Rd., Westerville OH 43082.