Forty years ago this year, Ohio Collective Bargaining was signed into law by Governor Richard Celeste, giving Ohio's public union members the legal right to sit down and negotiate the terms of their employment. For 40 years, union members have been fighting to build and protect their union contracts. This includes the rights to bargain wages, health care, leaves, safety on the job, longevity, overtime, pick-a-post and so much more.
We've been asking OCSEA members what collective bargaining means to them, and the power of being union is not lost on Ohio's public employee union members. Having a voice at the table means better wages and benefits, and a way to stand up to management about the issues that matter.
Take Luke Cutlip, a Corrections Officer and member of Toledo Correctional Chapter 4818 who knows the value of a union voice to build security on the job. "As a Corrections Officer at a maximum security prison, it’s important to have our union to keep pay and benefits up to date, keep our management held accountable and secure jobs on a long term basis,” said Luke.
For Kimberly Gaddis, a Senior Financial Analyst with Ohio EPA Chapter 2528, being a union public employee means being able to have resources for her family. "A union ensures I continue to earn a living wage. It means I’m able to continue to provide for myself and my children. Collective bargaining keeps food on the table and clothes in the closet!” said Kimberly.
Go HERE and tell us what having collective bargaining and a union voice means to you, your family and your union co-workers!