I am happy to report we have finally crossed the finish line for a new contract with the State of Ohio. Now that voting has concluded, I can formally announce that OCSEA members have VOTED YES to ratify the Fact Finder’s Report Recommendations and the Tentative Agreement (TA).
The new three-year contract has annual pay raises of 5%, 4.5% and 3%. The 12.5% increase over the length of the contract is the biggest pay raise that OCSEA has negotiated in nearly 40 years. Please know, it wasn’t easy! The State Bargaining Team never offered more than 4-3-2 percent. But we were successful in convincing the Fact Finder that the State could afford to pay more.
The 5% pay raise for the first year of the new contract took affect July 1 and will appear in the paycheck that covers the first week of July.
I’m also pleased that, for the first time ever, there’s language in the contract spelling out employee rights for telework and hybrid schedules. Managers can no longer terminate or deny a request for remote work without providing the reason in writing. And there’s more good news concerning healthcare. There are no changes to deductibles or copays, and the State will continue to pay 85% of premiums.
Of course, those are just a few of the victories in our union contract. I recommend you read the TA and Fact Finder’s report for more details if you haven’t already done so.You can find the documents on our website OCSEA.org/contract.
Negotiations began in December 2023 and lasted far longer than we had expected. The State played hardball, but so did we. The members of your OCSEA bargaining team never backed down and they spent many days and nights fighting on your behalf. I thank them for their hard work and commitment to the union and to our union brothers and sisters all over this state.
Finally, I want to express my appreciation to our staff here at OCSEA, to everyone who testified at the Fact Finder hearings, and most of all to you—the members of OCSEA. Thank you for the work you do every day for the citizens of Ohio…and thank you for being a member of OCSEA. The members are OCSEA, and we’ll continue to fight together for public workers and their families across this great state.
In Solidarity,
OCSEA President Chris Mabe
Download Union Press Release: OCSEA President Chris Mabe Issues Statement on New Contract with 12.5% Raise for State Employees