PUBLIC EMPLOYEE QUARTERLY - OCSEA

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Friends of Turnpike win privatization upset Anticipation over whether or not Governor John Kasich would follow in his political party’s footsteps and privatize the state’s Turnpike has been building for more than a year. Like-minded Governors like Indiana’s Mitch Daniels went down that road a few years back to disastrous results. But Northern Ohioans, Turnpike employees, OCSEA ODOT members and other friends of the Turnpike made a successful bid against privatizing the toll road that pretty much everyone agrees is well managed and self-sustaining. For a year, Turnpike supporters have been meeting with legislators, reporters and anyone else who would listen to tell the governor to back off any privatization attempts. Petitions were circulated, calls were made and even two ex-directors of the Turnpike spoke out against a sale or lease. “It’s one of our greatest assets,” said Fred Collier, a Highway Technician 4 in ODOT District 12, the Cleveland area. “I think once you privatize, you basically lose control. Tolls would have risen, People would lose their jobs. Once you turn something over to a for-profit business, costs have to increase. Once Indiana privatized, their road deteriorated, tolls increased and it was in worse shape than it was before.” Indiana Gov. Daniels leased the state’s toll road to a Spanish company for 75 years, and ever since, the value of the road has been in a nosedive. Now the owners are trying to squeeze out every penny they can by raising tolls. Rather than sell or lease the Ohio Turnpike, however, Kasich has proposed to cash in on the road with the sale of additional bonds. The state would then use the revenue from the bond sales to pay for road construction projects on the Turnpike, freeing up money for other state projects. Supporters of the plan believe it will help address the state’s dwindling gas tax revenues, which currently fund Ohio’s road projects. Those against it say continuing to leverage state assets is risky and will only add to the state’s debt and maybe diminish its bond rating. But what most government watchers all believe is if the decision to privatize Ohio’s Turnpike had been rendered a year ago, rather than just a year from his re-election bid, Kasich’s answer to the Turnpike very well could have been: sell, sell, sell. Fred Collier, Chap. 1804 D-12 ODOT Highway Technician says once assets like the Turnpike are privatized, costs go up. More than maps and brochures... ODOT to close travel centers Customer service in state government, apparently, is becoming a thing of the past. A recent example is the ODOT announcement to eliminate 11 Ohio Travel Information Center’s along many major interstates. Also gone will be the 34 Travel Counselors who greet Ohio travelers with a smile every day. The move is less about ODOT getting back to its “core mission” and more about slimming down government. Not only is OCSEA concerned that positions in ODOT are being eliminated, but the reduction will have a profound effect on the local communities and small businesses. "These centers aren’t just about maps and brochures, small businesses count on Travel Counselors to share information about local business for out-of-state travelers," said OCSEA Assembly President Gary Apanasewicz. "Travel Counselors are from these areas and care about the success and promotion of their communities." "Our members take a lot of pride in serving the public. And now that these positions are being eliminated, there’ll be no one to help those who might be in trouble or need assistance. A cell phone app can’t do that," said OCSEA President Christopher Mabe. 4 Public Employee Quarterly Winter 2013
What the impact of closures really means In January, the Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services announced it will be consolidating its field offices from 27 to 15 facilities. While OCSEA knew the consolidation to curb costs and eliminate leased space was coming, it never imagined how dramatic the cuts would be or how huge the impact would be. More than 500 ODJFS members will be directly affected. And worst of it all? The union was never asked for input on the consolidations. “A conversation between the union and ODJFS on the reshuffling and the impact on employees and communities never happened,” said OCSEA/ODJFS Assembly President Cindy Bobbitt. Bobbitt says she is concerned how this will affect employees’ family lives. For many, their lives are being disrupted by a second consolidation in four years. Others will have to spend hours in the car just to get to work. Impacted members include Shelly Bailey, a Customer Service Representative at the Maumee Claims Call Center in northern Ohio. She and her Maumee co-workers, along with employees from Bowling Green and Tiffin, will move to a new office in downtown Toledo later this year. For Bailey, the move will mean an extra half-hour added on to an already hour long commute (each way) from her home in rural Montpelier, Ohio, just west of the Ohio/Indiana border. That means less time with her family and more time on the road. It also means more gas fill-ups and tune-ups for her car, additional toll fees, and parking expenses. Bailey is conflicted though, because a job that pays well with benefits and union representation like this doesn’t come along every day, she said. “I am very appreciative that I have a job, and I love my job,” said Bailey. Also affected is Vanessa Wright, an Account Examiner in The Plains Office near Athens in southern Ohio. She will now have to travel more than four hours a day from her rural Gallia County home to a Columbus office and back. “This just isn't what I bargained for when I took this job so many years ago,” said Wright, whose gas expenses will double with the commute. Athens County Commissioners recently wrote Gov. John Kasich to offer free office space with the Athens County JFS to accommodate the workers. The state JFS contends it’s “not a viable option.” “The governor is constantly touting the benefits of shared services. And here's an opportunity to consolidate resources and the state is saying, No! Who can say no to free?” said Bobbitt. State Senator Lou Gentile also contacted the governor about the consolidation, saying the move is “not worth the cost” to communities and families in already hurting communities like Athens and Bridgeport in Belmont County. “This type of consolidation is a direct factor to the prosperity of our local economy. These are ODJFS offices impacted: jobs that will no longer contribute to local businesses, income tax, and broader community development,” Gentile wrote. Gentile is also concerned that OCSEA was not able to “weigh in on the decision” that will impact hundreds of its members. Four years ago, OCSEA worked closely with ODJFS via the Joint Budget Committee to develop a smaller consolidation plan. “While no transition is perfect, at least our members had some input and weren’t blind-sided by Columbus insiders making all the decisions,” said Bobbitt. While Bobbitt says that the agency is doing what it can to work with the union since the announcement – including developing alternative work solutions – she says it might be too little, too late. “We’re committed to cost-saving 100 percent, but we’re also committed to common sense. If the union had been involved from the beginning, we could have minimized the impact greatly,” said Bobbitt. Bowling Green, Maumee, Tiffin – merging into new downtown Toledo location Bridgeport – moving to Reno Canton – moving to Akron or Youngstown Dayton, Ft. Loramie, Springdale – merging into new Montgomery Co. location Ironton – moving to Chillicothe Mansfield – moving to Columbus or Lorain The Plains – moving to Columbus Richmond Heights – moving to Cleveland Winter 2013 Public Employee Quarterly 5
Page 1 and 2: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE QUARTERLY AFSCME LO
Page 3: Ohioans Gather to Say... Recently,
Page 7 and 8: OCSEA Convention SAVE THE DATE The
Page 9 and 10: Spirit... To: From: Turning Point D
Page 11 and 12: Fighting privatization In the fight
Page 13 and 14: When is a “tax cut” a BAD DEAL?
Page 15 and 16: UNION MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS I
Page 17 and 18: OCSEA professional spotlight Alica
Page 19 and 20: OCSEA is proud of the chapters and
Page 21 and 22: UNION MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS U
Page 23 and 24: Early voting gets an assist, activi

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE QUARTERLY - OCSEA

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