OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / FEBRUARY 18, 2026

You might have noticed something different on the front cover of this magazine. The name has changed to Public Employee Magazine (PEM) to better reflect the publication schedule for a magazine you receive three times a year. Nothing else has changed—we remain committed to keeping our members informed through social media, weekly electronic newsletters, YouTube videos and our magazine.

Ohio voters will elect a new governor on November 3, 2026, and for OCSEA members, that means having the opportunity to pick their next boss. With that in mind, Ohio’s AFSCME affiliates have united to endorse Democrat Amy Acton, the former Director of the Ohio Dept. of Health, as the best candidate to lead Ohio for the next four years.

 

In the most recent edition of the union magazine, AFSCME leaders and members talk about the change we need to protect union rights and public service––and the importance of electing Dr. Acton to Ohio's highest office. “Ohio deserves a Governor who truly understands the everyday struggles that working people face and that’s why we are supporting Amy Acton,” said OCSEA President Chris Mabe. “Amy has always stood with labor, and she’s strongly committed to public service,” he said.

 

“We have to vote our jobs, plain and simple,” said Jeremy Twigg, a U.S. Army Veteran and union Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the Sandusky Ohio Veterans Home. The vice president of OVH Chapter 2200, Jeremy says maintaining collective bargaining and the union contract is at the top of his priority list.

 

“This election is not just about our union, this decision will impact all public employees, their services––and their pensions,” said Jeremy. Read more about the impact this race could have in the latest edition of the union magazine.

 

Additionally, last week the Ohio AFL-CIO endorsed Dr. Amy Acton for Governor. Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga made the announcement on Feb. 13, the largest conglomerate of union members in the state, with the following message: "It’s time to stop the billionaire class takeover of our state." See photos from the event.

Fifteen years ago, in 2011, throughout February and March, tens of thousands of Ohioans rallied at the Statehouse against Senate Bill 5. The law passed at the start of 2011 by anti-union politicians would have stripped public employees of their collective bargaining rights.

 

But public union members and their allies showed up in massive numbers at the Statehouse and held town halls and rallies that attracted thousands of people in small, medium and large cities. And throughout the summer and into fall of 2011, activists, with OCSEA at the helm, led the People's Campaign to gather over 1 million signatures to stop SB 5 at the polls in November 2011. "No Issue 2 to Repeal SB 5" passed by a 62-38% margin on Election Day, solidifying that Ohioans support and will protect public collective bargaining at all costs.

 

Today, We Are Ohio continues to fight for the working families and the middle class. Read the story of SB 5 and see how YOU can continue the fight to protect public employee collective bargaining.

After 14 Years at the helm, AFSCME President Lee Saunders will retire in August 2026 following a historic tenure. He assumed the presidency at a turning point in AFSCME’s history, as attacks on public service workers and their unions reached a fever pitch. President Saunders charted a clear path forward.

 

Under his leadership, AFSCME met some of the most challenging moments facing working families with clarity and resolve. Today, AFSCME is a union that continues to grow and create new opportunities for collective bargaining for thousands more public service workers to have a real voice on the job.

 

"President Saunders' legacy will be remembered for generations of union members to come. It has been an honor to serve alongside him as an AFSCME International Vice President," said OCSEA President Chris Mabe.

 

President Saunders began his union career as an OCSEA activist in Cleveland at the former Ohio Bureau of Employment Services (OBES), now a part of the Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services. "Lee's commitment to Ohio, his home and his local union, has been unmatched. We will always be proud to call him a union brother! Even though he has served as AFSCME President for over a decade, he has been and always will an OCSEA member," said Mabe.

 

Additionally, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride will be stepping down in August following the AFSCME Convention. She plans to continue to work in the labor movement and build power for workers. She has served as AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer since 2017.

 

"Our union has a history of fighting and winning against tough odds, and we will continue to do that this year and beyond. I am profoundly inspired by the strength, solidarity, and passion for public service demonstrated each day by AFSCME members," said McBride.

Ready to expand your professional development? As an OCSEA member, you are cordially invited to join the next quarterly UET Open Forum Online via Zoom on Thursday, February 26 from 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. This FREE online event will help you get your UET questions answered and gain new knowledge regarding utilization of your union education benefits.

REGISTER

The registration deadline for the upcoming OCSEA annual Minority and Community Affairs Committee (CMCA) Conference is quickly approaching on March 1.

 

The CMCA conference will take place on Saturday, March 7 at The Embassy Suites, 5800 Rockside Woods Rd., Independence, Ohio 44131, with a pre-conference social event, contract trainings and early conference check-in on Friday, March 6. This includes two training options: Basic Steward Training OR Advanced Steward Training. Registration for the trainings is now open but has limited spots, so register immediately. The "Boots on the Ground" Reception with line dancing will be held from 7:30-9:00 p.m. on Friday evening at the hotel.

 

Get all conference deadlines, training registration links, the tentative agenda, speaker bios and MORE at OCSEA.org/CMCA.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Hotel reservations at the conference block rate are now closed. Contact the hotel directly for room options or nearby hotels.

REGISTER

We join the League of Women Voters of Ohio in reminding you about these important upcoming Spring 2026 primary election deadlines. Get voting information, including early voting locations, at VOTEOhio.gov.