COLUMBUS — Dr. Amy Acton is statistically tied with presumptive GOP nominee Vivek Ramaswamy in the race for Governor of Ohio, while holding a double digit lead in net favorability, according to polling conducted by Hart Research on behalf of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. The survey of 800 likely voters also found, in stark contrast to the opinions of many political commentators, that voters are more likely to support Dr. Acton for Governor after being reminded of her experience protecting Ohio’s public health during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A memo detailing the poll’s findings can be read here. 

The following endorsements and recommendations are supported by OFT for the general election on Tuesday, November 4, 2025:

COLUMBUS —  Despite providing a 3% pay increase to non-union staff, Equitas Health is only offering a 1% raise to union employees. The 1% offer, which management has stuck to over multiple bargaining sessions, was made during wage negotiations last week between the healthcare system and Equitas Health Workers United (EHWU), the union for nearly 200 frontline employees. Equitas Health management explicitly connected their lowball offer with an unfair labor practice charge from 2023 that is set to receive a hearing in December. 

COLUMBUS — The Executive Council of the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) recently voted to endorse Sherrod Brown for Senate in the 2026 election. The Executive Council is made up of OFT member leaders from across the state. 

Melissa Cropper, OFT President, released the following statement about the endorsement: “Sherrod spent his career fighting for the dignity of work and economic justice for Ohio families. Ohio — and the rest of the country — were better off when we had his unabashedly pro-worker, pro-union, pro-education voice in the Senate."

COLUMBUS — Today, members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), and the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors (OC AAUP) filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas challenging an unconstitutional and discriminatory provision in the most recent Ohio state budget that strips educators of their rightful voice on the the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.

“This policy is the latest in a long line of attacks against educators in Ohio,” said Glenetta Krause, a district-wide teacher mentor for Cincinnati Public Schools and member of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, who is the lead plaintiff. “Statehouse politicians have underfunded our public schools, rolled back our collective bargaining rights, fully eliminated Ohio’s elected State Board of Education, and told us what we can and can’t teach. Now they’re taking away our representation on our own retirement board. This lawsuit is about restoring fairness and protecting our fundamental right to have a say in how our retirement is managed.”

Tell your state legislators, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President that educators deserve meaningful elected representation on the STRS Board. Tell them to introduce and pass legislation to restore our voice on the STRS Board.