OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / May 15, 2024

Open Enrollment for your premium-free dental, vision and basic life insurance for the 2024-2025 plan year will start tomorrow, Thursday, May 16, 2024, and run through Wednesday May 29, 2024. These benefits are provided through your union-negotiated Union Benefits Trust (UBT). Please use the 2024 UBT Enrollment Guide (PDF) to walk you through the process!

UBT Open Enrollment – May 16-29 – is the time for you to:

• Verify your dependents - Starting July 1, 2024 you will be able to cover your unmarried dependents up to age 26 for dental and vision plans.
• Verify your dental and vision plan.
• Verify and check beneficiaries on your basic life insurance plan.
• Double check your supplemental life insurance coverage amounts or sign up for supplemental life insurance. Be sure to also check your beneficiary as well.
• Learn more about the supplemental legal plan enrollment, if not already enrolled.

State of Ohio health care coverage open enrollment will also run concurrently with your UBT open enrollment, May 16-29, 2024, for the 2024-2025 health care plan year. Download the MyBenefits Guide 2024-25 (PDF) to help you through that process.

The online guide includes an Open Enrollment checklist and instructions; Medical plan comparison charts; employee/state contribution amounts; and information on medical, prescription drug, behavioral health, dental, vision, life insurance, wellness and Ohio Employee Assistance (EAP) programs. Learn more at the DAS Benefits Page.

New wellness, medical, dental, and vision features for the upcoming benefit year include:

• A new streamlined wellness incentives structure that focuses on biometric screenings.
• Changes to anti-obesity coverage.
• Dental and vision coverage is expanding to cover eligible dependents up to age 26.

Last week we sent out a notice that Fact Finder Tom Nowell will issue the Fact Finder’s “Report and Recommendations” for the State of Ohio Contract by Wednesday, June 19. The fact-finding process does not conclude until the Fact Finder has issued his report. 

 

OCSEA chapters will have until Friday, July 5 at noon to vote on the Tentative Agreement and the Fact Finder’s Report.

 

OCSEA will release a booklet of the Fact Finder’s Report over email to all active union members on Friday, June 21. This will be sent to personal emails on file with the Union. Following the release, OCSEA will hold two virtual Road Shows over Zoom on Monday, June 24 at noon and 7 p.m. to discuss the report directly with members. Links for the Zooms will be sent through email and posted on the OCSEA website.

 

Once the first OCSEA Roadshow has ended, union leaders will hold in-person contract voting events for their chapter members. Only active, dues-paying members can vote. The times and locations for chapter voting will be posted on the OCSEA website.

 

The OCSEA Tentative Agreement (TA), including any updated contract language that did not go before the Fact Finder, will be distributed to active members on Monday, June 10 via email.

 

The Union made a request to extend the current contract until July 11, 2024 to allow enough time for ratification of a new contract and the state agreed to the extension.

• JUNE 10: The Tentative Agreement (T.A.) will be sent out digitally to all members. The Fact Finders report will not be included with this email.
  
  
• JUNE 19: Fact Finder’s Report deadline.
  
  
• JUNE 21: Fact Finder’s Report sent to all members.
  
  
• JUNE 24: Zoom webinar road shows start at noon. Voting starts this day.
  
• June 24: Chapter contract voting can commence this day following the end of the first road show (approximately 1 p.m.).
  
  
• July 5: Voting deadline (all votes due from chapters to OCSEA by noon)            
  
  
• JULY 11: Current contract extended to this date.

The annual OCSEA Steward Conference is just around the corner. It will take place Saturday, June 8 at the Renaissance Columbus Westerville-Polaris Hotel. A Zoom option is also available.

Additionally, spots to attend the online steward trainings on Friday, June 7, are still available. Please note, in person Advanced Steward training is FULL. There are a few spots remaining for the in person Basic Steward training.

Attendees can sign up for the Saturday conference (in person or online) and Friday trainings HERE!

New OCSEA Chap. 8700 steward Bobby Waddle, right, with Chelsea Bray, left, also a new steward for the chapter, is looking forward to building his labor skills at the upcoming OCSEA Steward Conference on June 8.

The OCSEA Steward Conference is a great opportunity for all OCSEA leaders to come together and build their union skills as well as gather tips on organizing their chapters and worksites. It's also the perfect chance for new leaders and stewards to get to know their union.

For new steward Bobby Waddle, an EPA member in Wood Chapter 8700, the experience of attending the Steward Conference for the first time is a great way to grow his expertise in labor and collective bargaining law and be a good resource for his co-workers.

"This is the first job I've had that's been unionized," said Bobby, who has been with EPA for two years as an Administrative Assistant 1. "I'm looking forward to the being able to come out of my shell and have the chance to meet new people and getting familiar with helping people out when it comes to labor laws," said Bobby, who has always had an interest in law for as long as he can remember.

Bobby will join another new EPA Chapter 8700 steward Chelsea Bray in getting resources for chapter members and helping maintain a fair and equitable workplace for his co-workers, said Bobby.  

Click below to watch on our YouTube page:

Summer is almost here! And the Zoombezi Bay HALF OFF deal for OCSEA members is back!!! Half off daily admission Zoombezi Bay water park tickets are on sale now through May 31, 2024. Please note: the discounted tickets are VALID through June 30, 2024.

 

Click HERE to get your member-only half-price tickets with username CIVIL and password OCSEA11. Click the "Zoombezi Bay" tab. Visit the Zoombezi Bay's website to check the 2024 operating hours. 

 

Tickets grant guests admission to Zoombezi Bay and include free access to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium during Zoo operating hours. Children under 3 are free. Limit 6 tickets per transaction.