Nearly 40 local OCSEA chapter leaders from around the state gathered this past weekend to attend the next phase of OCSEA's Leadership Training. Building activism and growing the next generation of leaders was on the agenda for the event held at the OCSEA Union Hall in Westerville.
This is the year's first OCSEA Leadership Training but more are scheduled throughout 2025. With large turnover of state employment during the last decade, the number of union leaders who are brand new to union activism is on the rise. For many new leaders, they are still learning the ropes of union leadership. The OCSEA Leadership Training gives new leaders and their mentors the tools they need to grow as leaders and build strong chapters.
Chapter leaders explored ever-changing technology, got an online training preview and walked through the financial roles of chapters. Attendees also participated in team-building and learned about the role of emotional intelligence in organizing successful chapters. As union activists, chapter leaders learned about the state budget revenue and the impact that federal budget cuts could have on state agencies, which are already understaffed and underfunded. They also were guided on how to effectively testify before the state legislature.