OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / AUGUST 8, 2024
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Save the date! OCSEA President's Conference is next month
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The OCSEA President's Conference will take place Saturday, September 14, 2024. The locations is the Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center, 100 Green Meadows Dr S, Lewis Center, OH 43035. Per the OCSEA Constitution, the conference of subordinate body presidents can be held by the OCSEA Board of Directors biennially, in years in which there is no regular convention. Please stay tuned for information regarding registration coming soon.
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Ohio Treasurer's Office team wraps up bargaining, members ratify strong contract
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OCSEA members at the Ohio Treasurer's Office voted this week to ratify a three-year contract. Successful negotiations by the Treasurer of State union bargaining team resulted in major gains in telework language and a total salary increase of 12.5% over the next three years. This aligns with raises negotiated in the main state contract.
The union bargaining team addressed the most critical issues raised by members in the TOS survey conducted earlier this year. One of those major issues included telework. As a result, the ratified contract includes the addition of sub-article on telework that gives TOS union employees the opportunity to request a telework arrangement. If the request is denied, or a telework agreement is revoked, both the employee and the union is to be notified. The language also allows the union the opportunity to take a denial or revocation to the TOS Labor and Management Committee (LMC) for discussion. The language also gives grievance rights in regard to telework denials or revocations.
The 12.5% wage increase over the three-year contract includes 5% in the first year, retroactive to July 1, 2024; 4.5% in the second year to be received on July 1, 2025; and 3% in the third year to be received on July 1, 2026. As mentioned, this mirrors the increases in the main OCSEA state contract and is the largest for the TOS increase since the early 1980s.
The members of the union bargaining team included TOS employees from a diverse group of classifications. Those members were Christine Bannerman, Paula Dent, Wendy Kuhn, Ray McFarland and Grant Wise. The team calls this a successful and collaborative effort by both sides of the table that looked out for the betterment of all impacted members and classifications.
"We worked well together, the union and management, and that shows. We had the best interest of the members every step of the way," said Christine Bannerman, who served on the union team for the first time this year.
Steward and team member Grant Wise agrees. "We worked hard to make sure no one was forgotten during this negotiations, and that the real issues of the members were at the table," said Grant. "And as a result, we gained telework language, and a foundation of language that we'll continue to build upon."
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"We worked well together, the union and management, and that shows."
~ Christine Bannerman, Treasurer of State union team member
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"We worked hard to make sure no one was forgotten during this negotiations, and that the real issues of the members were at the table"
~ Grant Wise, union team member and steward
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Union Education Trust vs. discount college: What's the difference?
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We get a lot of questions about union education benefits but one of the biggest questions is, What's the difference between the Union Education Trust (UET) and the union's discount college program?? These are two different programs with two different administrators. See an explanation of benefits and discounts below to make sure you are taking the correct steps:
Union Education Trust - FOR MEMBERS ONLY!
The union-negotiated UET benefit is available for OCSEA MEMBERS ONLY! OCSEA bargaining unit members with the State of Ohio, Treasurer’s Office, The Ohio Attorney General and Auditor’s Office are eligible for a total educational benefit of $8,000 per fiscal year from the first day of employment! Looking to finish a degree, go back to school, get computer training, or pursue professional enhancement? $8,000 is available EVERY YEAR through the UET to help MEMBERS afford the costs associated with pursuing their educational goals.
This is a contractual benefit outlined in the OCSEA main state contract and in OCSEA's three alternative contracts. Note: This benefit is NOT available in any local contracts and is NOT available to union family members as funding for this program is provided by the State of Ohio as the result of state contract negotiations. Members can check eligibility and search the list of UET-approved schools and individual courses by creating a MyUET account at uedtrust.org.
OCSEA Discount College - FOR MEMBERS & FAMILIES
OCSEA’s Discount College benefit program is a discount option for OCSEA MEMBERS and EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS! The Discount College program includes five online universities and offers up to 50 percent off discounted college tuition rates for all OCSEA dues-paying OCSEA members and their extended family members.
This program is offered through the EDUTrust Network, not to be confused with the Union Education Trust (the two are NOT associated). This is a partnership offered to unions throughout the country and is administers by EDUTrust Network, not the union. OCSEA can assist with questions and other issues that may arise, but members and family members will be contacted directly by the educational institution regarding their college options and discounts.
To explore the available college programs and to learn more about all the discounts offered, OCSEA members and their family members are encouraged to visit the Discount College website built for OCSEA members at EDUTrustNetwork.org/ocsea. If one of the programs is of interest, then simply complete the Request Your Match form. A representative of your matched program will contact you directly.
Get a flyer on education benefits for your union bulletin board at ocsea.org/ubbn.
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AFSCME’s Saunders on Harris’ VP pick: Tim Walz is a labor champion who personifies what public service is all about
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AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate:
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“Tim Walz personifies what public service is all about: Doing for others and never leaving anyone behind. He learned these values while serving in the National Guard, and he lived them as a teacher and football coach in Mankato, Minnesota. He has always been the first to lend a helping hand in his community, and today, this is how he governs – empowering worker voices and defending those who have made public service a career.
“As governor, he took on billion-dollar corporations to ban private prisons in Minnesota, keeping profit motives out of the justice system while protecting the jobs of AFSCME corrections officers. He went on to pass legislation guaranteeing free breakfast and lunch for young students statewide, giving AFSCME school employees the tools they need to keep kids energized and ready to learn. Walz did all this for Minnesota’s communities while getting state workers a historic contract with across-the-board raises.
“Gov. Walz shows what our communities can look like when we lead with empathy. He is a labor champion who will take pro-worker values with him to the White House. Together with Kamala Harris, they will defend our freedoms — to care for our families, to have a voice on the job, to thrive. We look forward to mobilizing the full strength of our union to ensure that this dynamic ticket wins on Nov. 5.”
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Gov. Tim Walz speaks at an AFSCME Convention.
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AFSCME delegates prepare to do good work of the union, represent Ohio public union members
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The 46th Annual AFSCME Convention general session will kick off August 12 and will run through August 16 in Los Angeles. OCSEA delegates will be in attendance to attend to the business of the international union, including developing goals and voting on resolutions and changes to the international union constitution. The convention's theme is Front Line & Fearless and will focus on building the mood across the union as one of pride, promise and optimism.
April Duckworth, a delegate representing the OCSEA State Board of Directors, Southern Ohio Correctional Facility Chapter 7330 and the DRC Assembly, says she is most excited about restoring and enhancing the scope of services offered by the union, including representation and benefits.
"I aim to discover new strategies for engaging and supporting union members ensuring they feel valued and heard," said April. For her this means learning effective advocacy techniques to better represent and protect the rights and interests of union employees.
Roschelle Holcomb, a delegate representing Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) Chapter 2538 and OCSEA District 6, says she hopes to "learn a lot to take back to the membership, network and meet people from other agencies across the nation and listen to what’s going on in the political world surrounding the upcoming election and moving forward."
OCSEA President Chris Mabe says that the delegation is invested in talking about issues that matter. This includes talking about the future of working and making sure protections, education and training opportunities are in place regarding Artificial Intelligence.
Mabe is also interested in learning more about the impact that a potential "Project 2025" and other conservative efforts could have on unions and public employees, including civil service protections that allow members to productively do their work without political interference from either party.
For more information on the convention, visit convention.afscme.org/
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"I aim to discover new strategies for engaging and supporting union members ensuring they feel valued and heard."
~ April Duckworth, SOCF Chap. 7330 activist
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Roschelle Holcomb, OOD Chap. 2538 , shows off OCSEA's commemorative convention shirts that honor Ohio's rich musical history.
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Get member-only deal to Gold Over America Tour
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Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour
Sunday, October 27, 2024 | 7 PM
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
ENTER CODE: OCSEA22
CLICK to get tickets now!
Scroll down on merchant page to locate the link for this event
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Click to tell us how your chapter will celebrate Labor Day:
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