Press

Equitas Health Workers Win First Union Contract

Equitas Health Workers United Bargaining Team

COLUMBUS — Equitas Health Workers United (EHWU), a union representing more than 200 frontline client-facing employees at fifteen Equitas Health locations across Ohio, ratified their first collective bargaining agreement today with a 96.3% majority. The union contract includes a wage increase, a signing bonus, a binding grievance and arbitration process with direct participation from the Board of Trustees, a labor-management committee, and more.

KIPP Columbus Educators File Unfair Labor Practice Charge While Fighting for a Fair First Contract

COLUMBUS — Educators at KIPP Columbus filed an unfair labor practice charge this week with the National Labor Relations Board due to management’s decision to unilaterally end a coverage stipend that was in place to cover teachers’ lesson planning times. This action was the latest union-busting tactic in a pattern of intimidation and retaliation that began when educators initially filed for their union election on November 15, 2022. The NLRB has previously found merit in three other unfair labor practice charges filed by educators.

Senate Budget Bill Threatens Ohio's Public Schools

“We are alarmed by provisions in the Senate Finance Committee’s substitute bill which threaten the long-term funding for Ohio’s public schools and diminish accountability and oversight for K-12 education in Ohio. The bill would make every Ohio family eligible for some amount of private school vouchers, regardless of their ability to pay for private schools or the quality of their local public schools. Paying private school tuition for wealthy families is not a good use of our education dollars, especially when the state is still trying to accomplish the full and fair public school funding that is required by Ohio’s constitution." MORE

OFT Survey of 2,321 K-12 Teachers and Staff Show Factors Driving School Staff Shortage

The Ohio Federation of Teachers released results today of a statewide survey of more than 2,300 K-12 educators and school support workers. The survey was focused on the factors that lead to teacher and staff turnover and on potential solutions to increase retention in Ohio’s K-12 schools. MORE

Grandview Heights Public Library Voluntarily Recognizes Union

GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH — Yesterday, the Grandview Heights Public Library voluntarily recognized the union that was recently formed by librarians and library workers. The union’s official recognition was the result of the library declining to request an election after signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of library employees were submitted to library management and the State Employee Relations Board on August 30. The library’s decision saves months of delay and unnecessary legal expenses that would have occurred if the library refused to recognize and forced workers to hold an election. It also allows both sides to immediately begin the bargaining process and work together on a fair contract for librarians and library workers.

Ohio Federation of Teachers and Ohio Education Association Oppose Legislation That Endangers Students

Columbus, OH — Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and Scott DiMauro, President of the Ohio Education Association, released the following joint statement in opposition to HB 454, a bill that would ban gender affirming mental and physical healthcare for minors in Ohio. The bill would also prohibit educators and school counselors from keeping students’ feelings about gender identity confidential.

Preliminary Injunction Granted in STRS Board Lawsuit

COLUMBUS — Today, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carl A. Aveni granted a preliminary injunction that will prevent changes to the composition of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board while the issue is being litigated. The lawsuit — initiated by 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) — challenges an unconstitutional provision in the state budget that strips educators of their rightful voice on the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.

Faculty at Ohio University Win Union Vote

ATHENS, OHIO—The fight for job security, protected faculty voice, shared governance, and against low and stagnant wages at Ohio University hits a new milestone as nearly 800 Ohio University faculty members have the right to collectively bargain today after the State Employment Labor Relations Board certified that an overwhelming majority of faculty voted yes, 453 to 189.

Members of the United Academics of Ohio University join the more than 1.8 million members of the AFT across the country and the faculty at 12 unionized campuses across Ohio who are members of the AFT and the American Association of University Professors. The AFT is the largest higher education union in the country.

OFT Members Train Parents on Literacy Strategies

CINCINNATI, CLEVELAND, TOLEDO, AND ENON, OHIO — Today, members of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Cleveland Teachers Union, Toledo Federation of Teachers, and Greenon Federation of Teachers conducted literacy instruction for select groups of parents in their respective school districts. These trainings, developed by AFT) members and adapted by Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) members, were the start of a new phase in the OFT’s ongoing work to support literacy education.

ATHENS, OHIO — Today, an overwhelming majority (72%) of librarians and library workers at Athens County Public Libraries (ACPL) called on their Director and Board of Trustees to recognize their union. Copies of signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of library employees were delivered to management, while the originals were filed with the State Employee Relations Board (SERB) to request voluntary recognition of the union.