News

Your union newsletter - January 2, 2025

Posted Jan. 2, 2025 by

OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / JANUARY 2, 2025
 

Obituary: Honoring the life of Officer Andrew Lansing, RCI

Brothers and sisters, you can view the online obituary, funeral arrangement and memorial video for Correction Officer Andrew Lansing HERE. OCSEA chapters and members wishing to send condolences can do so on the funeral home's website. You can also read the full obituary and see funeral arrangement information below.

Officer Lansing was brutally murdered on the job on Christmas Day at Ross Correctional Institution (RCI) in Chillicothe. He leaves behind a wife, a daughter and a son. Continue scrolling this email to TAKE ACTION around this senseless act.

Obituary provided courtesy of Ware Funeral Home, Chillicothe Ohio: 

Andrew Steven Lansing, 62, of Chillicothe passed 11:38 a.m. Wednesday, December 25, 2024 unexpectedly at OSU Wexner Medical Center.

He was born April 19, 1962 in Verdun, France to the late Charles Lester and Sheila May Brewer Lansing.  On October 4, 2002 he married Chun Wong who survives.

Also surviving are children, Kimberly Mae (Jesse) Cooper, of Seattle, WA and Edward Taklai Lansing, of Chillicothe; brothers, Alan C. (Sharon) Lansing, of Springfield, Michael A. (Karrie) Lansing, of Wellston and David W. Lansing, of Elm Grove; sisters, Maureen F. Lansing, of Chillicothe, Tina L. (Jim) Schmauch, of West Union and Lisa K. (Josef) Newman, of West Union; numerous nieces and nephews including special nieces, Kamilah and Hannaa Mustapha and special nephews, Jamie “Bub” (Erin) Lansing and Josh (Casey) Lansing; special friends, Dan and Deb Wiltshire and John Adkins; and his faithful companions, his dogs, Bob and Orion.  He was predeceased by sisters, Juanita Fyffe and Sharon Lansing.

Andy was a Corrections Officer at Ross Correctional Institute in Chillicothe where he had served in many capacities including the SRT Team.  He was a member of Orient Masonic Lodge #321 F&AM in Waverly and the Pike County Shrine Club.  Andy served in the United States Army for 9 years.  Andy had a huge heart and a big smile and was dearly loved by his family, coworkers and friends.  He was a mentor to many people, was a sweet person, always wanted to better himself thru his work and education and was unwilling to accept anything but the best from himself.   

Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Friday, January 3, 2025 in the Chillicothe High School’s Hatton Memorial Gymnasium with Pastor Bud Brabson officiating.  Burial will follow in Grandview Cemetery where military graveside rites will be conducted by the United States Army and the Ross County Veterans Honor Guard.  Visitation will be held from 12 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2025 at Chillicothe High School’s Hatton Memorial Gymnasium where there will be a Masonic service at 6 p.m.    

In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions be made to Shriners Children’s Hospital, Attn: Office of Philanthropy, One Children’s Plaza – 2 West, Dayton, Ohio 45404 or online at LovetotheRescue.org.
 

Funeral Arrangements for Officer Lansing

Visitation: Thursday, January 2, 2025
12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Chillicothe High School

Masonic Service: Thursday, January 2, 2025
6:00 PM

Chillicothe High School

Funeral Service: Friday, January 3, 2025
1:00 PM
Chillicothe High School
 

Tell Gov. DeWine that DRC needs new leadership NOW! It’s time to make a change to protect the lives of our Correction Officers.

Officer Andrew Lansing was murdered on Christmas Day 2024 by an inmate with a history of making threats in the facility. And this is not an isolated incident. Officer Lansing is the second DRC employee to be killed on the job this year. Back in April, another employee was killed on a DRC-run training firing range.

 

THIS CANNOT CONTINUE! We need to raise our voices and demand that Governor Mike DeWine change leadership at the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections NOW! That is the only way to restore confidence in the Department and protect the lives of its employees. We must have leadership that listens to staff, works with staff and makes staff safety the top priority.

 

Let’s send a powerful message to Governor DeWine that he needs to act now! SEND A LETTER TODAY! And please, you are highly encouraged to add more to the form letter to the governor, especially if you have personal experience or know someone who’s been affected by the mismanagement at DRC.

 

Click below to write the Governor.

Every OCSEA member deserves to go home safely at the end of their shift. Sadly, their dangerous jobs have been made more hazardous by chronic understaffing and continued mismanagement of the Ohio DRC. Take a stand for our OCSEA brothers and sisters in Corrections. Write the Governor NOW!
 

Applications for the 2025 Les Best Scholarship are available now!

Every year, the OCSEA Les Best Scholarship Program helps soften the the blow of a college education for dues-paying OCSEA members and their families. Your union annually awards a total of $12,000 in scholarships to members and their families each academic year. The application process is open January 1-April 30 each year. The application process for 2025 is officially open!

 

Members, spouses, and dependents can now begin applying for the 2025 scholarship. Get applications and resources at OCSEA.org/LesBest.

 

Kick off the New Year right and download your Les Best Application Checklist to get the scholarship application process started. Remember, there are THREE scholarship award categories for MEMBERS, DEPENDENTS & SPOUSES! Don't miss out on this amazing union opportunity!
 

President Biden to sign Social Security Fairness Act into law next week

After large bipartisan majorities of the U.S. Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act, President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign the bill into law Monday, January 6. His signature will put an exclamation point on a long battle to restore Social Security benefits for public sector employees including members of OCSEA.

 

Since the 1970s and ‘80s The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) have reduced Social Security payments for people who’ve worked in public service and the private sector. But when the Social Security Fairness Act is signed those onerous laws will be repealed once and for all.

 

Credit for this victory goes to every union member and activist who called and emailed members of Congress. Your activism paid off! And so did the persistence of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown who worked tirelessly for many years to repeal WEP and GPO.

 

According to the Social Security Administration, the Social Security Fairness Act applies to monthly benefits after December 2023. This is great news, meaning retirees who’ve been affected by WEP/GPO will see an increase in their monthly benefits and receive retroactive payments for 2024. How quickly that happens depends on when the Social Security Administration fully implements the new law. You can check out their website for more information.
 

CC: OCSEA Board and Staff

Disclaimer: If you are receiving this email at a State of Ohio work email address, please note that your State email is on file with the union per your request. We highly recommend that you update your personal email address with OCSEA as soon as possible. Update your personal email HERE or log on to your MyOCSEA account to view your profile. Haven't created your MyOCSEA account yet? Create one HERE.
 
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