Union activists from across the state gathered in Westerville over the weekend for the latest round of OCSEA Leadership Training. The trainings are an ongoing commitment by OCSEA to empower the next generation of leaders to grow our union and prepare for future challenges and opportunities.
Jason Carrico, steward for Chapter 2578 and a Correction Officer with ODRC’s Franklin Medical Center (FMC), says he attended the training to learn how to encourage his chapter members to get more involved and attend union meetings. Carrico says he enjoyed the session about emotional intelligence and how it can be used to communicate more effectively with all kinds of people. “I learned a lot from [the instructor]. He kept us involved,” Carrico said.
The dozens of members who attended the training also learned about the state contract bargaining process and engaged in team-building exercises and group discussions with members from different agencies and departments.
Angela Walls, a steward and Administrative 3 with the Ohio Dept. of Medicaid, represented ODJFS/Medicaid Chapter 2599 at the training. She says a discussion about Project 2025, which has led to layoffs of public sector workers and cuts to federal programs, made a strong impression on her. “That was scary. It will affect all of us––not only the union but the people that we represent,” Walls said.
Walls and Carrico agreed the November election, when Ohio voters pick a new Governor and many other elected officials, is not only important for our union but also the future of our state. “I think everybody needs to vote their job. I’m not going to say who to vote for. I know who I’m voting for. But just vote your job,” Carrico said.