OCSEA leaders packed the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Lewis Center last weekend for the 2024 President’s Conference to hear about key issues on the ballot in November and learn more about our new state contract. Check out a photo gallery of the conference here.
The conference kicked off Friday night with New Contract Training for chapter leaders. The training focused on the process of negotiating and ratifying the three-year contract with the State of Ohio and the changes the agreement contains from the previous contract.
Saturday’s focus was on the upcoming election and OCSEA President Chris Mabe laid out what’s at stake for organized labor in his opening remarks. “We are gathered here to maintain the strength and solidarity of the labor union and maintain the social safety net services we provide. Those are the things that are at risk every electoral cycle,” President Mabe said. “Collective bargaining was created by the stroke of a pen in the legislature and collective bargaining can be taken away in the same form and fashion.”
The Saturday session also included warnings about Project 2025 from State Rep. Allison Russo, the Minority Leader in the Ohio House of Representatives. Project 2025 is a document produced by the anti-union Heritage Foundation which lays out the game-plan for a conservative takeover of the federal government. On the chopping block for Project 2025 are public employee unions and civil service protections. Leader Russo said Project 2025 would “allow states to ban labor unions altogether, eliminate overtime protections and replace civil servants once and for all with political appointees.”
Redistricting reform is back on the ballot again this year with a major change intended to end gerrymandering once and for all. Maureen O’Connor, the former Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, urged OCSEA members to support State Issue One because, unlike previous efforts, this plan would remove politicians and lobbyists from the process by creating a Citizens Redistricting Commission.
“We have a broken system in Ohio,” O’Connor said about the two previous attempts to change how maps for Congress and the state legislature are drawn. A “Yes” vote would create a 15-member Citizens Redistricting Commission made up of equal numbers of Republicans, Democrats and Independents representing all areas of the state. You can find out more about the upcoming election including important dates and candidates endorsed by OCSEA at OCSEAvotes.org.
Besides learning about the major election issues, conference attendees also returned home with yard signs to show off their union pride and to share with members of their chapters. More of the signs will be available in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for details on how you can get a sign for your yard.