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AFSCME LOCAL 11/AFL-CIO 

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE QUARTERLY Volume 68, No. 1 • WINTER 2012 

War on 

workers: 

What will the 

next fight be? 

Battles rage in 

Wisconsin and 

Indiana 

pgs. 8-9

Election Night Nov. 8, 

2011 was a culmination 

of months of hard 

work by OCSEA activists and 

other public employee union 

members with the defeat of one 

of the nation’s hardest hitting 

anti-collective bargaining laws. 

Unless you were under a 

rock, Senate Bill 5 and Issue 2 

were household names leading 

up to Election Day. But the 

ballot box victory was particularly 

sweet for Ohio’s unionized 

public servants, who fought to 

maintain their right to bargain 

over workplace issues—something 

they had had for more 

than 28 years. 

“Your blood, sweat and tears 

helped to mobilize a sleeping 

giant. You not only made history, 

you changed the course of 

history,” said OCSEA President 

Chris Mabe. 

But the fight isn’t over— 

nowhere near over. 

2012 is looking to be another 

eventful year. Already, local 

governments and state 

agencies are suffering from 

harmful cuts passed by Gov. 

John Kasich and the state 

legislature. Consolidations 

are becoming the norm and 

“It's critical that we don't forget about 

the attacks on working people this 

past year. Those fights must be a 

springboard for what we do in 2012.” 

~ OCSEA Pres. 

Christopher Mabe 

privatization 

is bleeding 

into every 

agency within 

state government. 

In spite 

of the trouncing over SB 5, politicians 

are not backing down 

from their anti-worker agenda. 

Already, a study is in the 

works to look at privatizing the 

Ohio Lottery again, and a newlyformed 

panel has reconvened 

to figure out how to cut public 

worker pensions. 

But will the wins of 2011 resonate 

enough to keep activists 

fighting back anti-worker legislation 

and policy? What impact 

will the SB5 defeat have in state 

races this fall, particularly in the 

Ohio House of Representatives 

and in the Presidential election? 

“It’s critical that we don’t 

forget about the attacks on 

working people this past year. 

Those fights must be a springboard 

for what we do in 2012. 

If nothing else, SB 5 taught us 

that electing lawmakers who 

will look out for the interests of 

middle class workers has to be 

our number one priority,” said 

Mabe. 

“Just like the defeat of SB 5/ 

Issue 2, it will take boots on 

the ground and 

conversations on 

the front porch to 

make a difference 

in the fights of 

2012,” said Mabe. 

Nearly 17,000 

OCSEA activists hit 

the street to defeat 

SB 5 and Mabe 

says an equivalent 

commitment is 

Ohio public employees celebrate the 

defeat of Issue 2/SB 5 on Election Night. 

needed to fight back attacks on 

workers this year. 

“We need to hit them with 

all the might we had during the 

toughest part of last year's fight. 

We need to rattle them to their 

core,” said Mabe. 

For more on working class 

battles happening across the 

country, see pages 8-9. 

SB 5 by Numbers 

• 2.1 million – Voters who opposed Issue 2 

(more votes than Gov. Kasich received when elected) 

• 61-39 – Percentage spread that defeated Issue 2 

• 17,000 – OCSEA activists who helped bring 

down Issue 2 

Social media played an important part in the fight to defeat 

Issue 2/SB 5. We Are Ohio’s presence on the Internet far outweighed 

those of SB5 supporters. Check out the social media dominance below. 

We are Ohio 

Better Ohio 

• Facebook Followers 97,717 4,569 

• Twitter Followers 1,722 1,332 

• Youtube Views 2,472,242 84,087 

2 Public Employee Quarterly Winter 2012

One big battle, or death by 1,000 cuts? 

CHRISTOPHER MABE 

President 

It’s a new year and I’ve 

made a resolution. We 

need to hit the ground 

running whenever and wherever 

the next battle begins. 

We don’t know exactly 

where the next battle lines 

will be drawn, but we need 

to be prepared. 

In Indiana, a Right to Work 

bill that is striking a major 

blow to unions was rammed 

through by their General 

Assembly. In Wisconsin, our 

AFSCME brothers and sisters 

are engaged in a recall battle 

to oust their governor, Scott 

Walker. In Florida, a proposal 

has been introduced to privatize 

more prisons than any state 

in history. 

But what will be Ohio’s next 

big fight? Will it be a big battle, 

like SB 5, or will it be a death by 

a thousand cuts? 

Given our massive win on 

SB 5 and the political trouncing 

anti-union politicians took 

last year, our enemies might 

be content with a “death by 

a thousand cuts” approach. 

That’s not to say we don’t 

believe a Right to Work proposal 

or another massive 

privatization proposal won’t 

be introduced some time in the 

next couple years—because we 

do. But during a presidential 

election year, our opponents 

might think it best to stay under 

the radar and not cause the 

workers to rise up like last year. 

That’s my guess. 

So how do we prepare and 

lay the groundwork for the 

sort of enemy that slithers and 

crawls, rather than one that 

stands up and waves a banner? 

For one, we need to fight smart. 

But that doesn’t mean we don’t 

fight hard. When I was in the 

military, we had to change the 

game, depending on the enemy. 

If we learned anything from 

last year’s epic battle it is this: 

we do not have enough laborfriendly 

lawmakers in the state 

legislature. That’s how SB 5 got 

passed to begin with. Electing 

“But what will be Ohio’s 

next big fight? Will it be 

a big battle, like SB 5, or 

will it be a death by a 

thousand cuts?” 



labor-friendly and public sectorfriendly 

legislators in 2012 

could prevent another disaster 

like SB 5. We will have more 

information about targeted state 

legislative races in the coming 

months. Suffice it to say, many 

of these fights will be at the 

ballot box. 

We need to fight proposals 

that privatize and eliminate 

middle class jobs and that 

replace them with low wage 

work with poor benefits. 

In 2012, ODOT has already 

declared a fiscal emergency 

and claims it might address a 

decrease in gas tax revenue 

by privatizing Ohio’s rest 

areas and the Turnpike. How 

do we combat that? Building 

community support when 

it comes to privatizing Ohio 

assets like the Turnpike is 

vital. Let your friends, 

neighbors and community 

groups know what 

is going on and what will 

happen if area roadways 

or rest areas are privatized. 

Most important of all 

this year is to vote your 

job. Don’t forget what we 

went through last year. We 

need to hold lawmakers 

accountable for the past and 

ensure that they have a clear 

vision for the future. When 

you step into the voting 

booth, whether it’s for your 

local school board, for a 

primary or for the General 

Election, make sure you are 

voting for people that support 

YOU! 

Did they stand with you or 

against you? 

Not sure how your state representative or senator 

voted on Senate Bill 5? Visit We Are Ohio’s Speak Out 

Tool at ocsea.org/speakout to see where your legislators 

stood on SB 5! And then thank them — or give 

them a piece of your mind and tell them it will impact 

your vote at the ballot box. 

Rep. Al Landis (R-Dist. 96) voted Yes on SB 5 but over 

65 percent of his voting constituency opposed Issue 2 

in November. What will this mean for the re-election 

of anti-collective bargaining legislators like Landis and 

others like him? 

Winter 2012 Public Employee Quarterly 3

Negotiating Team reaches 

historic contract agreement 

sions but eliminates furlough 

days, a freeze on personal leave 

and a freeze on step increases 

that were part of the last threeyear 

agreement. 

“This vote sends a clear message 

that state employees are 

ready to move on and get down 

to the business of providing 

quality public services to the 

citizens of Ohio,” said OCSEA 

President Christopher Mabe, in 

a press statement. 

“Building on our win on 

SB 5 and Issue 2, state workers 

will now have a chance 

OCSEA members 

voted overwhelmingly 

to ratify a 

three-year extension of their 

current contract with the State 

of Ohio with approximately 84 

percent voting in favor and 16 

percent opposed. 

The agreement is effective 

from March 1, 2012 through 

February 2015 and is the first 

contract extension the state has 

agreed to in the union’s history. 

The agreement, negotiated by 

OCSEA’s bargaining team, will 

retain all current contract provito 

have some stability,” said 

AFSCME International staff 

Steven Kreisberg, who helped 

the bargaining team reach an 

agreement with State of Ohio 

negotiators. 

“Clearly, our members recognize 

that Ohio’s economy 

remains sluggish and were 

willing to accept an agreement 

that provides no general wage 

increase,” said Mabe. “This 

shows how committed this 

workforce truly is.” 

In surveys and meetings conducted 

by the union over the 

past year, the OCSEA membership 

expressed the need for the 

union to retain the current level 

of benefits. “This agreement 

does that,” said Mabe. 

The new contract makes no 

changes to the current health 

care benefit, which was members’ 

number one priority, 

according to a survey 

conducted by OCSEA 

“OCSEA members voted 

overwhelmingly to ratify 

this extension. This vote 

sends a clear message 

that state employees are 

ready to move on and get 

down to the business of 

providing quality public 

services to the citizens of 

Ohio,” 



"The state was coming 

after longevity, steps, 

health insurance and 

pick-a-post. But due 

to the efforts of your 

bargaining team, we've 

secured a contract with 

not one concession. 

It's more than we could 

have hoped for in this 

economic climate. " 


OCSEA President 

"We did what’s never 

been done before, we 

extended our contract for 

three years. People are 

tired of fighting. We need 

jobs in this state. Now you 

can plan your life for the 

next three years." 

Ramona Collins 

Customer Service 

Representative 

Lucas County One-Stop 


WILLIAMS 

LOCAL 

AFL-CIO 

Ohio Civil Service 

Employees Association 

President 

Vice President 

Secretary-Treasurer 


Kelvin Jones 

Kathleen M. Stewart 

Board of Directors: 

last year. The agreement also retains 

employees’ current leave accruals and 

leave payouts, step increases and longevity 

payments. It also keeps intact 

employees’ current dental and vision 

care plans with no cost to employees. 

“Our members recognize that there 

are other issues on the horizon for 

public workers, such as the fight over 

our pensions (see page 14) and Right 

to Work legislation (see page 8). 

Coming to this agreement allows 

us to move forward and be better 

prepared for those challenges that lie 

ahead,” said Mabe. 

District 1: Kate Callahan (ODOT), 

Shawn Gruber (DR&C), Jerry Lugo (ODJFS) 

District 2: Carrie Johnson (MH), 

Michelle Hunter (MR) 

District 3: Doug Mosier (DR&C), Bob Valentine (ODOT) 

District 4: Bruce Thompson (DYS), 

Doug Sollitto (DR&C) 

District 5: Cindy Bobbitt (ODJFS), 

Tracy Cutright (DR&C) 

District 6: Laura Morris (Health), 

Debra Honore (RSC), Shirley Hubbert (BWC), 

Louella Jeter (ODPS), Debra King-Hutchinson (ODJFS), 

Annie Person (DYS), Tim Roberts (DR&C), 

Amy Turner (ODOT), John Anthony (Taxation) 

Gerard "Rocky" Jolly (School for Blind) 

District 7: James LaRocca (Lottery), 

Lawrence McKissic (BWC) 

District 8: A.J. Frame (DR&C), Beth Sheets (ODMR/DD) 

District 9: Mal Corey (DR&C), 

Jeremy Grooms (ODOT) 

Retiree Representative: Ron Alexander 

OCSEA Headquarters: 

390 Worthington Road, Ste. A, Westerville, Oh 43082 

Live Operator: 614-865-4700 or 800-969-4702 

Automated Dial: 614-865-2678 or 800-266-5615 

Fax: 614-865-4777 

Web site: www.ocsea.org 

Customer Service: 888-OCSEA-11 (888-627-3211) 

"It’s a great contract because 

we took no concessions. 

The agency-specific language 

could have changed pick-apost 

and roll call and line up. 

We won on our work rules, 

and new employees get 

their step increase." 

Bob White 

Sergeant 

Richland Correctional 

Institution 

OCSEA Public Employee Quarterly (USPS 010-112) 

is published quarterly for $6 by the Ohio Civil Service 

Employees Association, 390 Worthington Road, 

Suite A, Westerville, OH 43082. Periodicals postage 

paid at Westerville, OH and additional mailing offices. 

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Ohio Civil 

Service Employees Association, 390 Worthington Road, 

Suite A, Westerville, OH 43082. 

OCSEA Public Employee Quarterly is produced by the 

OCSEA Communications Department: Sally Meckling, 

Director; Deirdre O’Neill-Wedig, Pattie Boy, Associates. 

To update email and other contact information go to: 

www.ocsea.org/update or call 800-969-4702. 

DEFIANCE 

PAULDING 

VAN WERT 

MERCER 

DARKE 

PREBLE 

BUTLER 

HAMILTON 

FULTON 

HENRY 

PUTNAM 

AUGLAIZE 

SHELBY 

MIAMI 

ALLEN 

OCSEA 

DISTRICT 2 

WARREN 

CLERMONT 

LOGAN 

CHAMPAIGN 

GREENE 

CLARK 

CLINTON 

BROWN 

LUCAS 


DISTRICT 1 

WOOD 

HANCOCK 

HARDIN 

HIGHLAND 

MADISON 

FAYETTE 

ADAMS 

WYANDOT 

UNION 

OTTAWA 

SANDUSKY 

SENECA 

MARION 

DELAWARE 


DISTRICT 6 

FRANKLIN 

ROSS 

PIKE 


DISTRICT 9 

CRAWFORD 

SCIOTO 

ERIE 

MORROW 

HURON 

RICHLAND 

FAIRFIELD 

HOCKING 

VINTON 

JACKSON 

KNOX 

LICKING 

JEFFER- 

SON 

ASH- 

LAND 

PERRY 

GALLIA 

LORAIN 


DISTRICT 3 

COSHOCTON 

MUSKINGUM 

ATHENS 

MEIGS 

MEDINA 

WAYNE 

HOLMES 

CUYAHOGA 


DISTRICT 5 

MORGAN 


DISTRICT 8 

SUMMIT 

TUSCARAWAS 

GUERNSEY 

NOBLE 

LAKE 


DISTRICT 7 

PORTAGE 

STARK 

GEAUGA 

WASHINGTON 

CARROLL 

HARRISON 

BELMONT 

MONROE 

ASHTABULA 

TRUMBULL 


DISTRICT 4 

MAHONING 

COLUMBIANA 

MONT- 

GOMERY 

Winter 2012 

LAWRENCE 

Public Employee Quarterly 5

LOCAL 

AFL-CIO 

and Victories 

Contract: The State of Ohio 

and OCSEA 2012-2015 

Senate Bill 5 Defeated 

2011 was a rocky road to victory, indeed, that began with 

rallies at the Statehouse, the collection of 1.3 million signatures 

and a triumphant march through Columbus to deliver 

them – and ended with the overwhelming defeat of Issue 2/ 

Senate Bill 5 at the polls on Nov. 8, 2011. As the world was 

watching, together we showed them what solidarity means! 

BUG 

Contract 

BETWEEN 

THE 

STATE OF OHIO 

AND 

THE 

OHIO 

CIVIL SERVICE 

EMPLOYEES 

ASSOCIATION 



Historic Contract Ratified 

Thanks to the efforts of the OCSEA Bargaining Team, 

and the defeat of SB 5, OCSEA members ratified an historic 

three-year extension of the current OCSEA Contract 

with the State of Ohio. The agreement retains all current 

contract provisions, excluding cost-savings days, freezes 

on personal leave and freezes on step increases that were 

part of the previous three-year agreement. 

2012-2015 

Hard-fought Budget Wins 

This year’s budget battle was one of the toughest fought 

yet. But despite some major cuts, OCSEA activists fought back 

a plan to privatize the Ohio Lottery and a proposal to increase 

employee pension contributions by 2 percent. OCSEA also 

ensured that private prison companies pay their fair share of 

taxes. Portions of SB 5 that appeared in early versions of the 

budget also were nixed thanks to OCSEA activists. 


Prison Privatization Plan Curtailed 

Thanks to pressure by OCSEA activists and other supporters 

against private prisons, the Dept. of Rehabilitation and Correction 

reversed a plan to sell five state prisons. While the privatization of 

North Central Correctional Institution in Marion was tough to bear, 

the agency ultimately only increased the number of privatized 

prisons by one (instead of five) and brought one privately-run 

facility back under state management with the merger of the 

North Coast Correctional Facility and Grafton Correctional 

Institution. Grafton was one of the prisons originally on the 

state’s privatization chopping block. 

Lottery Privatization Plan Nixed 

OCSEA activists at the Ohio Lottery claimed a major 

victory this budget cycle when they fought off eleventh 

hour attempts to privatize their agency. Press conferences 

and a major media blitz featuring OCSEA union employees, 

previous administrators, policy makers and others 

were ultimately responsible for the plan being removed 

from the final budget. However, more attacks on the 

Lottery are anticipated even this year. A study to look into 

the idea has already been commissioned. 

Development Jobs Saved 

In 2011, the General Assembly’s passage to give over 

control of the economic development side of the Ohio 

Dept. of Development to a private, corporate board called 

JobsOhio turned the agency on its head. However, OCSEA 

fought hard to make sure Development employees were 

impacted as little as possible. 

In the end, impacted bargaining unit employees were 

placed in other departments within the agency, resulting 

in zero layoffs. And, while the recently released legislative 

agenda advocates changes to Development in 2012, OCSEA 

will continue to advocate on the behalf of the public work 

currently done by employees in this area. OCSEA is also monitoring 

the privatization of liquor profits that could impact 

this and other state agencies. 


Wisconsin 

Indiana Right to Work 

bill on the move 

Ayear ago, Ohio union 

members were shut 

out of conversations 

regarding changes to public 

employee collective bargaining. 

OCSEA members were banned 

from offering testimony and 

locked out of the Statehouse. 

Now Indiana politicians are 

using similar strong-arm tactics 

to bring down private sector 

unions and the working class 

members that belong to them. 

Anti-worker politicians in 

the Indiana Legislature recently 

rammed through the most 

controversial anti-worker bill 

in Indiana history. Republican 

leaders denied public testimony 

and legislator amendments to 

the state’s highly contentious 

Right to Work bill, which limits 

collective bargaining rights 

for members of private sector 

unions. 

What is Right to Work? 

Don’t let the name Right to 

Work (RTW) confuse you. It 

has nothing to do with giving 

workers more rights. Rather, 

RTW serves to bring down the 

entire middle class by diluting 

the ability for labor organizations 

to effectively represent its 

members. 

Workers in states with RTW 

laws, where there are harsh limitations 

on joining a union, have 

a consistently lower quality of 

life than those in other states. 

RTW means lower wages, 

fewer people with health care, 

higher poverty and infant mortality 

rates, lower Workers’ 

Compensation benefits for 

injured workers and more workplace 

deaths and injuries. 

• The average RTW 

worker makes $5,333 

a year less.* 

• RTW states have a poverty 

rate of 12.5 percent, 

compared with 10.2 percent 

in other states.* 

• The rate of workplace 

deaths is 51 percent 

higher in RTW states, 

where unions can’t 

speak up on behalf of 

workers.* 

Oklahoma 

indiana 

RTW fails in Oklahoma 

A booming economy. More 

businesses. Job creation. This 

is exactly what the state of 

Oklahoma touted RTW legislation 

would offer its state in 

2001. And now, over a decade 

later, none of that has materialized. 

According to the AFL-CIO,** 

citing the U.S. Bureau of 

Statistics and Oklahoma Dept. 

of Commerce, the number of 

new companies coming into 

Oklahoma since the law passed 

in 2001 has “decreased by onethird 

and the number of manufacturing 

jobs in the state has 

fallen by one-third.” And now 

Indiana legislators want to go 

forward despite what has happened 

in Oklahoma. 

Recently, an Oklahoma private 

sector employee, who lost 

her job with General Motors in 

the years after the bill passed, 

made a plea to Indiana: “I have 

to warn the people of Indiana 

of the slow, vicious cycle that 

RTW has on families," said Kitty 

Asberry. 

Could Ohio be next? “Yes, 

especially if we continue to 

elect anti-worker politicians 

who believe we should invest 

in corporations and not the 

average, everyday American,” 

said OCSEA Vice President 

Kelvin Jones. 

* The Truth about Right to Work – AFL-CIO 

** Oklahoma Workers Expose RTW lies, 

AFL-CIO, Jan. 11, 2012. 

Activists in Indiana take to the streets 

to protest anti-worker legislation. 


OCSEA activists assist with 

the Wisconsin effort in late 

2011. 

OHIO 

Life after 

collective bargaining 

The case of 

Wisconsin 

OCSEA activists 

recently joined the 

fight in Wisconsin, 

urging employees to recommit 

to their union by signing union 

cards and by signing petitions 

to recall Governor Scott Walker. 

“We won in Ohio at the ballot 

box. And you can too!” OCSEA 

activist James Beverly, Jr., told 

AFSCME members in Wisconsin. 

Beverly and other OCSEA activists 

traveled to Wisconsin at the 

end of 2011. 

Wisconsin activists are using 

the recent attack against collective 

bargaining in their state 

as an opportunity to mount a 

major counterattack against 

anti-worker politicians in 2012. 

Attacks on collective bargaining 

rights sparked massive protests 

and set off unprecedented recall 

campaigns against Wisconsin 

state senators last year. And, 

just last month, “Recall Walker” 

organizers turned in over 1 million 

signatures to put a recall of 

the anti-labor governor on the 

ballot in November. 

Life for public employee 

union members in Wisconsin 

has been turned on its head 

since the law passed that obliterated 

collective bargaining 

rights for state workers. 

Imagine the worse case scenario, 

and that’s exactly what 

these workers and their families 

are facing right now. Bargaining 

for Wisconsin state employee 

union members has been limited 

to wages, and even those 

wages are given a non-negotiable 

cap. Contracts are limited to 

one year and wages are frozen 

Did you know? 

Wisconsin is the home 

of the public employee labor movement. That’s 

right. Wisconsin led the nation in giving public 

employees the right to bargain in 1952 — nearly 

30 years before Ohio. And Madison, WI was the 

birthplace of AFSCME, founded in 1936. 

until those contracts are settled. 

Workers can no longer bargain 

over health care and other 

benefits, work place safety, 

seniority, work assignments, 

overtime and much more. 

And the grievance process has 

been thrown out the window, 

with only employers choosing 

(and paying) mediators to 

solve workplace disputes…that 

is, in the event they are even 

addressed. 

Health care for family coverage 

doubled almost overnight 

with the passage of the bill, and 

a free-rider clause means unions 

must still represent those who 

do not pay union dues. 

But, while public workers’ 

voice in the workplace has been 

virtually silenced, 

they aren’t taking it 

lying down. 

Wisconsin 

AFSCME reps say 

that despite massive 

restrictions on joining 

unions and even 

greater restrictions 

on dues collection 

after signing a union 

card, members continue 

to remain loyal 

to their union and 

are “recommitting” in record 

numbers. 

AFSCME, which originated in 

Wisconsin 76 years ago, vows 

to bring back collective bargaining 

to the state once again 

and build the union movement 

stronger than ever. “We’ve been 

able to gain back our rights in 

other states where they’ve been 

taken away. But the only way 

we do it is by sticking together 

and continuing to fight,” 

said Debbie Garcia, AFSCME 

International’s area field services 

director for Wisconsin. 

Photos courtesy of Conor Fox, AFSCME. 


How one influential group is driving Ohio’s political agenda 

At least four major 

studies released over 

the last year have 

come to the same conclusion 

about private prisons: they 

don’t save a dime. One study 

after another has offered the 

identical bottom line: the selling 

or leasing of Ohio prisons 

has nothing to do with trying to 

fill a budget hole. Rather, such 

moves are ideological at best, 

and downright politically 

motivated at worst. 

Policy Matters Ohio authored 

two such studies, which found 

that no savings would materialize 

by their sale and that, in fact, 

it is likely taxpayers will pay 

more. The Ohio ACLU followed 

with a similar study and conclusion, 

as did the Sentencing 

Project. 

More and more, researchers 

are pointing to the political 

influence that private prison 

companies wield involving 

Limited Government · Free Markets · Federalism 

seedy back door deals, campaign 

contributions and a whole 

lot of cash--all of which ensures 

that private prisons stay full and 

private prison companies have 

record profits. 

The most recent private 

prison study by The Sentencing 

Project concludes that legislation 

authored by The American 

Legislative Exchange Council 

(ALEC) is largely driving the 

pro-prison privatization agenda 

by developing model legislation 

that serves corporate interests. 

For instance, the group, along 

with cohorts from Corrections 

Corporation of America and the 

GEO Group, has spent the last 

several years developing a series 

of tough-on-crime proposals 

meant to increase incarceration 

rates and keep private prison 

doors open and swinging wide. 

Dozens of large corporations 

donate millions to ALEC, and, in 

turn, ALEC does its job advocating 

to cut government services 

– and contract with them. 

Just as disturbing as the 

ALEC-inspired lobbying, is the 

huge amount of campaign cash 

private prison companies have 

been spending on federal and 

state political races. According 

to the Sentencing Project, from 

2004 to 2010, the amount of 

state and federal contributions 

made by CCA to political campaigns 

more than doubled from 

less than $600,000 in 2004 to 

nearly $1,200,000 in 2010. 

It’s no coincidence that as 

politicians’ campaign coffers 

grew, so did the number of 

private prisons across the U.S. 

From 1999 to 2010, the number 

of inmates incarcerated in private 

prisons grew by a whopping 

80 percent, while overall 

the prison population grew by 

only 17 percent.* 

In Ohio, several bills, including 

the one that privatized a 

Conneaut prison and leased 

North Central Correctional 

Institution came straight from 

the ALEC playbook. In fact, 

according to research by 

Progress Ohio and others, Ohio 

anti-worker legislators have let 

ALEC write nearly 33 bills just 

last year that have found their 

way to the Statehouse. 

Which begs the question: If 

in fact lawmakers aren’t passing 

laws based on what their 

constituents need, but rather 

what right-wing think tanks and 

corporate CEOS want, who are 

they ultimately representing? 

* The Sentencing Project, Jan. 2012 


Despite 

privatization, 

Adam Ruth, chapter 

vice president and 

Mike Tenney, chapter 

president of North Central 

Correctional Institution, had 

their work cut out for them last 

year. Not only did they spend 

the summer collecting signatures 

and fighting off Senate Bill 

5, but, come the fall, they were 

also forced to defend against 

the privatization of the Marion 

prison they both worked in. 

While the good news in 

September was that the Dept. 

of Rehabilitation and Correction 

decided NOT to sell five prisons 

outright to private prison 

companies; the bad news was 

they would be leasing NCCI 

and the moth-balled Marion 

Juvenile Correctional Facility 

to Management Training 

Corporation. 

But Chap. 5188 didn’t miss 

a beat. Numerous rallies and 

press events held outside the 

prison made the important connection 

between Senate Bill 5 

and privatization, with picketers 

holding signs against both. 

Chapter members even gathered 

signatures on the picket 

line to put Senate Bill 5 on the 

ballot. “Privatization and attacks 

on our collective bargaining 

rights go hand in hand. It’s all 

about taking away our rights, 

destroying our way of life, 

and ultimately, eliminating the 

middle class,” said Tenney. 

Once it was clear the administration 

was moving forward 

with its privatization scheme, 

Ruth and Tenney joined OCSEA 

leaders and staff throughout 

northern Ohio to work to 

ensure employees had jobs 

if they wanted them. A “war 

room” was set up at OCSEA 

Headquarters that was decorated 

with posters detailing 

who was being displaced and 

which prisons had positions 

for them. 

“The chapter leaders at 

NCCI are some of the hardest 

working men and women I 

know,” said OCSEA President 

Chris Mabe. “This was not an 

easy process. They were not 

only dealing with this huge 

loss in their community with 

the privatization of a facility 

and loss of jobs, they were also 

fighting to keep their rights so 

that the process would be a 

fair one.” 

Thanks to OCSEAnegotiated 

contract language, 

employees affected by a 

layoff have the opportunity to 

“bump” less senior employees 

as well as to fill vacancies under 

contract Article 18.14. Under 

SB 5, layoffs would have also 

been based on merit. 

And thanks to the dedication 

of chapter leaders, nearly every 

OCSEA member who wanted 

one was offered a job through 

the process. That didn’t mean 

the change didn’t come with a 

cost, however. Many employees 

are now commuting a much 

greater distance to keep their 

NCCI Chapter President Michael Tenney 

spent most of last year fighting SB 5 but also 

protesting the privatization of his Marion 

prison. 

jobs. Others simply couldn’t 

afford to take a job with a long 

commute. 

“Finding positions for the 

majority of NCCI employees 

simply would not have happened 

under Senate Bill 5,” said 

Ruth. “In fact, that whole process 

of filling positions based on 

seniority in the result of a layoff, 

would not have existed.” 

NCCI Chap. Vice Pres. Adam Ruth and Chap. Pres. Mike Tenney work 

in the 'war room' at OCSEA Headquarters to help find work for 

displaced Corrections employees. 


UNION MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS 

UNION MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS 

Membership has its benefits 

Did you know that your union membership entitles 

you to much more than representation during 

contract negotiations and a voice on issues that 

impact your job? In fact, being a member of OCSEA entitles 

you to a wide range of benefits and 

discounts! 

Scholarships 

Each year a total of $12,000 in 

scholarships is awarded to OCSEA 

members, their spouses and 

dependents from the OCSEA Les 

Best Scholarship Fund. Recently, 

the Dependents Vocational and 

Dependents College categories have 

been combined into one. There are 

now three categories: Members' 

College, Spouses' College and 

Dependent's College/Vocational. 

Each year two Pat Callanan- 

Memorial Book 

Scholarship 

NOW $250 

Castro Memorial Book Scholarships are awarded 

to applicants chosen from the Members' College 

category. This year the book scholarship award has 

been raised from $150 to $250. 

Members, their spouses and dependents may 

apply directly online at ocsea.org/lesbest. The 

deadline is April 30, 2012. 

OCSEA Extras Benefits 

OCSEA offers exclusive member benefits and 

discounts through partnerships with colleges, banks, retail 

and entertainment venues. Each year these discounts are published 

in our Extras benefits guide (see Extras insert). More on 

the Extras benefits can be found at ocsea.org/extras. 

Education 

OCSEA members can save 10-25 percent off tuition at 

Ashford, Columbia Southern and Drexel Universities. 

Choose from online associate, bachelor, master or certificate 

programs in a variety of fields. 

Retail 

Membership in OCSEA can also save you money on everything 

from banking services, brakes and tires, computers, 

electronics and gourmet gift baskets. For more information on 

additional discounts, check our your Extras benefits booklet 

or visit ocsea.org/extras. 

Family Fun 

OCSEA members have a variety of family fun discounts 

available, from weekend getaways at state parks to exciting 

indoor water parks, exhibits, shows and theme parks. 

save 

rates as low as 

$59 per night at 

Ohio State Park 

Lodges 

save 

on tickets 

for events at 

Quicken Loans 

Arena 

save 

up to $2 per ticket 

at the Newport 

Aquarium 

save 

15% off 

room rates at 

Great Wolf 

Lodges 


We rallied. We signed. We marched. We voted. 

We made 

HISTORY 

11.08.11 

What will our future look like on 

11.06.12? 

“Spring into action for another victory!” 

2012 CMCA Conference 

April 14, 2012 

Quest Conference Center, Columbus, OH 

CMCA Conference Registration Deadline: March 31, 2012 

Hotel information 

Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites 

9000 Worthington Rd. 

Columbus, OH 43082 

Hotel rate $103.36, includes tax. 

Reservations must be made 

by March 13, 2012 directly 

with the hotel. Register under the 

“CMCA Conference block” 

at 614-568-0770 or online at 

cwp.marriott.com/cmhcp/cmca 

Registration information 

To register, contact: 

Sharon Reese 614-865-4700 

or 800-969-4702 

or email sreese@ocsea.org 


Holding on to your retirement 

It’s been almost three 

years since the Ohio 

Public Employee 

Retirement System Board of 

Trustees made recommendations 

to make some incremental 

changes to the pension system 

to ensure it remains solvent 

while maintaining retiree health 

care. So why has nothing happened? 

In 2009, OPERS and the other 

public employee retirement 

systems sent their recommendations 

to the legislative body 

charged with coming up with a 

plan to bring the public pension 

systems into solvency within 

the 30-year legal requirement. 

OCSEA even invited OPERS 

staff on the road to explain the 

changes to the membership so 

they would be fully understood. 

Some of the changes include 

an increase of two years in eligibility, 

a change in Purchase 

of Service Credit as well as an 

increase of the minimum earnable 

salary to $1,000 per month. 

These are changes that no 

one necessarily wants, but are 

necessary to keep the fund 

solvent and to maintain retiree 

health care. 

But then the 2010 election 

happened and any proposal or 

will to make a change evaporated 

along with it. But without 

small changes now, as OPERS 

Trustees had recommended, 

things are only getting worse 

for the fund that 1.7 million participants 

depend on. Last year, 

instead of fixing the problem 

and looking seriously at the 

OPERS recommendations, the 

General Assembly delayed them 

and, instead, contracted to do 

an actuarial study. The results 

of that study are not expected 

until July. 

Meanwhile, the pension 

system’s problems did not go 

away and the fund continues 

to struggle, in part due to the 

market downturn in 2008, but 

mostly because people are 

simply living longer. 

The longer the lifespan, the 

more money is drawn from the 

retirement. In fact, the basic 

structure of OPERS has not 

changed since the fund began in 

1935. But since then, the length 

of time the average retiree 

draws a pension has tripled. 

Now, public sector unions 

are worried that anti-worker legislators 

will do nothing until it’s 

too late. “The question is, are 

legislators dragging their feet so 

they can create a crisis that can 

justify making rash and extreme 

changes?” said Carol Bowshier, 

OCSEA’s Director of Health 

Care Policy. 

Some of the severe recommendations 

being discussed 

by lawmakers are a move to a 

defined contribution plan and 

an increased employee share 

“They need to keep health care. 

My parents are 81 and 77 and are 

both public workers. The older 

they get the more they need health 

care. Without retiree health care, 

one major illness and you'll be 

paying off the bill the rest of your 

life.” 

~ OCSEA State Board 

of Directors 

Bob Valentine 

“The question is, are legislators dragging 

their feet so they can create a 

crisis that can justify making rash 

and extreme changes?” 

~ OCSEA Director of 

Health Care Policy 

Carol Bowshier 

(up from the current 10 percent). 

Because health care is not 

required by law, these and other 

rash changes could reduce or 

completely eliminate health 

care for retirees. None of these 

changes were part of the OPERS 

recommendations in 2009, but 

anti-worker politicians in the 

General Assembly are making 

no indication that they’ll play 

nice on the subject. 


AFSCME honors Ohio, 

Wisconsin activists 

If anybody knows James 

Adkins, a plumber at the 

Ohio Reformatory for 

Women and Vice President of 

OCSEA’s Corrections Assembly, 

they know he’s not one to wear 

a suit if he doesn’t have to. They 

also know that he’s not one to 

back down from a fight, especially 

when it has to do with 

standing up for what’s right. 

But recently Adkins donned 

a suit and tie when honored 

by AFSCME International in 

Washington D.C. for his efforts 

in the fight to repeal Senate Bill 

5. Adkins represented the nearly 

17,000 OCSEA members who 

hit the streets to gather signatures 

and get Ohioans to the 

polls to repeal the worst anticollective 

bargaining legislation 

in the state’s history. Adkins, 

who alone gathered over a thousand 

signatures during the petition 

drive, joined activists 

from Ohio and Wisconsin 

who spoke out for workers' 

rights in 2011. 

At a banquet honoring 

the activists, U.S. Secretary 

of Labor Hilda Solis spoke 

about the fights in Ohio 

and Wisconsin and the 

impact they had on the 

nation that watched them 

unfold. She spoke of 

the need for unions and 

commended the activists 

on their determination 

to “raise every boat” for 

every worker. But she 

warned that the battle is 

far from over as the antiworker 

theme becomes 

amplified in states across 

the nation. 

Corrections Assembly Vice President James Adkins, with Sec. of 

Labor Hilda Solis, is honored in Washington D.C. for his efforts to 

take down SB 5. 

Social media, such as YouTube, Twitter 

and Facebook played an integral role in 

OCSEA’s fight against SB 5. Through social 

media networking, OCSEA and We Are Ohio 

were successful in spreading the word about 

SB 5/Issue 2 and the harm it would bring to 

Ohio’s working class. 

As attacks against working people continue, 

social media will play a major role in 

updating OCSEA members about breaking 

news and actions. Sign up to be a fan on 

our Facebook page, facebook.com/ocsea, 

follow our Tweets, twitter.com/ocsea, 

watch us fight at YouTube.com/ocsea and 

sign up for E-News at ocsea.org/email. 

facebook.com/ocsea youtube.com/ocsea twitter.com/ocsea 

LOCAL 

AFL-CIO 


ocsea.com/email 


Winter 2012 Public Employee Quarterly 15 

version 1a

Honoring those 

who give .... 

The past year was definitely a tough one 

for many Ohioans. OCSEA is proud of 

the activists who, despite the economic 

setbacks and dedication to repealing SB 5, gave 

generously to charities. They reached out to those 

in need and gave their time, money and hearts. 

Each year OCSEA recognizes members and 

subordinate bodies who go above and beyond 

with acts of service, volunteerism, contributions 

and heroism. The OCSEA Horizon Award is presented 

to nominees that have positively impacted 

Guidelines: 

The OCSEA Board of Directors’ Membership and Public 

Relations Committee serves as the panel of judges and 

focuses on the following criteria when reviewing nominations: 

• Is the nominee a current OCSEA member or subordinate 

body (chapter, district or assembly)? 

• Does the nominator demonstrate how the service or act 

positively affected individuals or the community as 

a whole? 

• Are there letters of support and personal testimony that 

describe the nominee’s community service or acts of 

heroism? 

• Does personal testimony describe how the act affected 

the nominator or the community? 

• Was the service work or act of heroism performed 

within one year of the application deadline? 

individuals or their community as a whole. This 

includes service conducted on a local, state or 

national level. 

The winner of the 2012 Horizon Award will be 

honored at an OCSEA Board of Directors’ meeting 

and will also receive a contribution to the charity 

of their choice in the amount of $500. 

Know of a chapter or member deserving of 

this award? Complete the nomination form below 

or download the form at ocsea.org/horizon. 

Submission deadline is April 1, 2012. 

for outstanding 

community service 

char·i·ty [char-i-tee] 

noun, plural -ties. 

1. generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, 

or helpless: to devote one's life to charity. 

2. something given to a person or persons in need; 

alms: She asked for work, not charity. 

3. a charitable act or work. 

4. a charitable fund, foundation, or institution: He left his 

estate to a charity. 

5. benevolent feeling, especially toward those in need 

or in disfavor: She looked so poor that we fed her out of 

charity. 

Horizon Nomination Form 

Nominee _______________________________________ 

Describe the nominee’s community 

service work or act of heroism. 

Use additional sheets if necessary. 

Address________________________________________ 

(city/state/zip) _____________________________ 

Telephone (home) _______________(work) ___________ 

Nominator ______________________________________ 

Telephone (home) ______________(work)_____________ 

Email (home) ____________________________________ 

Nominations must include letters of support. 

Are letters included? m Yes m No 

Send to: 

OCSEA Public Affairs Dept. 

390 Worthington Rd. – Ste. A, 

Westerville, OH 43082-8331 

Nominations must be 

mailed or postmarked 

no later than 

April 1, 2012. 

ocsea.org/horizon 


Brandi POtts 

Pott's seven-year-old daughter 

(right) enjoyed shouting "Kill 

the Bill" at an SB 5 rally. 

Brandi Potts 

Account Examiner 

ODJFS Chap. 2599 

When Brandi Potts officially became a 

steward in early 2011, she had no idea what 

the year ahead would bring and 

how the fight to repeal Senate Bill 

5 would so profoundly impact her 

new passion to be a steward. 

Potts, now an Account 

Examiner 2 for the Ohio Dept. of 

Job and Family Services, became 

a steward because the area she 

worked in at the time was in major 

need of steward representation. 

Having worked in the private 

sector for a decade, Potts 

said she stepped up to do the 

job because the idea of her 

union really “intrigued” her. 

“I just wanted to learn 

more,” said Potts, who called 

unionism a foreign concept 

in her previous job in the 

financial sector. 

Spring 2012 Education Calendar 

To register for any of the following classes, call the education registration 

hotline at 800-266-5615, ext. 4772 and follow the recorded 

instructions. 

If you’d like a class for your area and don’t see one currently scheduled 

on the calendar, contact Pat Hammel at 800-266-5615, ext. 2654 

Potts said that the activities surrounding the 

repeal of SB 5 were incredibly rewarding and 

reminded her daily of its connection to her 

job as a steward and the importance of union 

representation in all workplaces, public and 

private. 

During the SB 5 fight, Potts attended rallies, 

circulated petitions, assisted with data entry 

and canvassed. She particularly enjoyed participating 

in the Million Signature March. “It was 

an exciting, overwhelming and eye-opening 

experience,” said Potts of the July parade to 

the Secretary of State’s office to submit over a 

million signatures to put the repeal of SB 5 on 

the ballot. 

“It was all a very rewarding experience,” 

said Potts. She even recruited her children to 

attend rallies with her after work. “They loved 

it. My seven-year-old really got into it all and 

loved to shout ‘Kill the Bill.’” 

“I take great pride in my union work,” said 

the Next Waver who encourages others to step 

up and be a voice for their ODJFS union brothers 

and sisters. “My co-workers know they can 

depend on me and I like that,” said Potts. 

Designed for 

Stewards 

Designed for 

all Members 

or phammel@ocsea.org to find out what types of classes are 

available or to schedule one for your area on a just-in-time basis. 

Once you’ve recruited 10 people to attend a class, the class will 

be scheduled. 

TUES 6 

MARCH 

Occupy Everywhere, 6-8 p.m. 

OCSEA, 390 Worthington Rd., 

Westerville – Rm. 195 

MON 9 

APRIL 

Basic Steward Pt. 1, 6-9 p.m. 


Westerville – Room 195 

TUES 1 

MAY 

Advanced Steward, 6-9 p.m., Hampton 

Inn – Toledo South, 1409 Reynolds 

Rd., Maumee 

WED 14 

History of OCSEA and the Labor 

Movement, 6-8 p.m., Wyndham Gardens, 

31 Prestige Place, Miamisburg 

WED 11 

Basic Steward Pt.2, 6-9 p.m., OCSEA, 

390 Worthington Rd., Westerville – 

Room 195 

SAT 5 

Basic Steward Pt. 1&2, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 



SAT 17 

Basic Steward Pt. 1&2, 9a.m.-4 p.m., 


Westerville – Rm. 195 

TUES 17 

Basic Steward Pt.1, 6-9 p.m., Hampton 


Rd., Maumee 

THUR 31 Advanced Steward, 6-9 p.m., OCSEA, 

390 Worthington Rd., Westerville – 

Room 195 

WED 28 

MON 2 

Advanced Steward, 6-9 p.m., OCSEA 

Hdqtrs, 390 Worthington Rd., 

Westerville, Ohio, Rm. 195 

APRIL 

Occupy Everywhere, 6-8 p.m., Holiday 

Inn, I-77 & I-480, 6001 Rockside 

Rd., Independence 

THUR 19 

WED 25 

SAT 28 

Basic Steward Pt.2, 6-9 p.m., Hampton 


Rd., Maumee 

History of OCSEA and the Labor Movement, 

6-8 p.m., Holiday Inn, S.R. 23, 

Portsmouth 

Advanced Steward, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 




SUBORDINATE BODY MEETINGS & ELECTION NOTICES 

Chapters 

2320 

April 9 

2525 

March 6 

April 10 

April 11 

3700 

May 9 

5700 

7010 

March 22 

Meeting: 6:30p.m.-8:30p.m. 

Top Hat Restaurant, 202 West Main Street 

Junction City OH 43748 

Meeting: 8p.m.-10:15p.m. 

169 th Steelworker's Union Hall 

Longview Ave. Mansfield OH 

March 27 

April 24 

Nominations: 12:15p.m.-12:30p.m. 

March 7 

Elections: 12p.m.-1p.m. 

Run Off: 12:15p.m.-12:45p.m. 

April 4 

Industrial Commission- Level 3 

Training Room B, 30 West Spring Street 

Columbus OH 43215 

President, Vice President, 

Secretary/Treasurer, 

3 Executive Board 

Meeting: 5p.m.- 6:30p.m. 

Ohio EPA-SEDO Bld. Rooms 104A&B 

2195 Front St Logan OH 43138 

March 28 Meeting: 5:30p.m.-7p.m. 

April 25 Meeting: 5:30p.m.-7p.m. 

The Cultural Center 

40 S Edwin C. Moses Blvd. 

Dayton OH 45402 

7500 

7700 

May 2 

March 14 

April 11 

May 9 

8320 

March 13 

April 10 

May 8 

Meeting: 5:30p.m.-6p.m.. 

Meeting: 5:30p.m.-6p.m. 

Quality Inn, 400 Folkerth Ave 

Sidney OH 45365 

Executive Board: 5:30p.m.-8p.m. 

Pufferbelly Restaurant, 152 Franklin Ave. #A 

Kent OH 44240 


Cafe in Stow 4591, Darrow Rd Stow OH 


Larry's Main Entrance, 1964 W. Market Street 

Akron OH 44313 

Regular Meeting: 5:30p.m.-8p.m. 

VFW Firestone Post 3383, 690 West Waterloo Rd 











The Family Village Inn, 144 South Main Street 

Waynesville OH 45068 

Submitting A Meeting Notice 

Issue: Spring 2012 

Last Day to Submit Notice: April 2, 2012 

Earliest 15-day Meeting Date: May 21, 2012 

Issue: Summer 2012 

Last Day to Submit Notice: July 9, 2012 

Earliest 15-day Meeting Date: Sept. 27, 2012 

Issue: Fall 2012 

Last Day to Submit Notice: Sept. 24, 2012 

Earliest 15-day Meeting Date: Nov. 12, 2012 

Meeting and election notices should be mailed to IT Secretary Sha Cone 

OCSEA 390 Worthington Rd., Suite A, Westerville, OH 43082, 

faxed to 614-865-4032. To schedule online, go 

to www.ocsea.org/meetingnotices 

CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY: Per the subordinate body Constitution Article VI, 

Section 8: “Circumstances such as receipt of workers’ compensation 

benefits, disability benefits, assignment to project staff, etc. may affect 

your eligibility to run for office in this election. If you are considering 

running for any office, executive board, or a delegate position, please 

contact OCSEA central office prior to the nomination date.” 

Just-In Time courses 

available near you 

To help meet the needs of our very geographically diverse 

membership and those who keep work schedules around 

the clock, the OCSEA Education Department has developed 

the Just-In-Time course option. 

If you and the members you work with — or live near — want 

to take a class but can't attend one already scheduled (see page 

17), you may request to schedule one in your area at a time that 

works best for you and your membership. Contact Judi Ayers at 

614-865-2656 or 800-266-5615, ext. 2656. 

Some Just-In-Time courses include Basic and Advanced 

Steward Training, Chapter Leadership, Financial Management 

Training, Communication Skills, Contracting In, Layoffs, Fired 

for Facebook, History of OCSEA and the Labor Movement and 

much more. Find these and more at ocsea.org/education. 

Version 1 


It's time 

to apply! 

2012 Les Best Scholarship Fund 

The OCSEA Les Best Scholarship Fund continues to grant 

educational financial-assistance awards to active dues-paying 

OCSEA members, their dependent children and spouses. 

Yearly, eight to ten scholarships are awarded totalling $12,000. 

Members who apply can also be considered for one of two 

$250 Pat Callanan-Castro Memorial Book Scholarships. 

Deadline to apply is April 30, 2012. 

Dependents’ College/Vocational 

Scholarship 

For students entering or already enrolled in a college, 

university technical, trade or vocational school full time 

– four $2,000 scholarship. 

Members’ 

College 

Scholarship 

For members who are 

full-time or part-time 

undergraduate students 

or who will begin studies 

in the fall – either two 

$1,000 awards or four 

$500 awards. 

Members who apply 

for this category will also 

be considered for the Pat 

Callanan-Castro Memorial 

Book Scholarship – two 

$250 awards. 

Memorial Book 

Scholarship 

NOW $250 

Spouses’ 

College 

Scholarship 

For undergraduate 

students who are 

entering or already 

enrolled full time or 

part time in a college/ 

university or technical 

school, and are 

beginning studies in 

the fall – either two 

$1,000 awards or 

four $500 awards. 

2012 

Les Best Scholarship Fund 

Apply online or download 

applications at 

ocsea.org/lesbest 

or call 

800-266-5615, ext. 4777 


Giving Thanks, 

Giving Back 

OCSEA activists had a lot to be grateful for this holiday 

season. And to say thank you for the support 

Ohio voters gave them around Issue 2/SB 5, they 

gave back to the people of Ohio in a big way! 

In December, We Are Ohio, the umbrella group that 

includes OCSEA, gave generous donations of $10,000 each 

to Toys for Tots and the Second Harvest Food Bank. OCSEA's 

Chap. 2597 President Leonard Moore presented the check to 

the food bank, and teacher of 

the year Maureen Reedy gave a 

check to Toys for Tots. 

Many OCSEA subordinate 

bodies also stepped up to help 

their communities. Richland Correctional, 

Chap. 7021 collected 40 cases of turkeys 

and donated them to the Salvation 

Army and worthy organizations in the 

Mansfield area. Medina Chap. 5200 

donated money to Toys for Tots and 

to their county home for seniors. Dixie 

Chap. 4220 in Mount Vernon collected 

gifts for a teen program called “Turn the Tide” 

and manned a local food drive. And, District 6 continued 

their history of giving by making sure the kids at St. Stephens 

Community Center in Columbus had a brighter holiday with 

gifts and donations. 

Members of Dixie Chap. 4220 hold a holiday food drive in 

their Mount Vernon community. 

OCSEA activist Leonard Moore (far right) presents 

a check for $10,000 to the Second Harvest Food 

Bank on behalf of We Are Ohio and the workers 

it represented. 

Serving 

those 

who 

serve 

us 

Members 

of District 4 in 

Northeast Ohio 

recently helped 

make some veterans 

days a little brighter by 

donating to the Friends 

in Stitches project. Friends in 

Stitches in Malvern, Ohio made 

over 500 red, white and bluethemed 

lap quilts for veterans at 

the Cleveland VA Medical Center. 

Each label says “Thank you for 

serving our country.” 

To donate, contact 

Kathie Eckels at 330-863-0002. 


ut not giving up 

On Nov. 28, 2011, 

Cooper Tire & 

Rubber Co. locked 

out 1,050 members of USW 

Local 207L in Findlay, Ohio. 

These men and women offered 

to stay on the job as contract 

negotiations moved forward, 

just as they had in the past, 

but the company refused and 

kicked its longtime workers to 

the curb. 

In prior negotiations, members 

of USW Local 207L gave 

up $30 million in pay and other 

benefits to help Cooper Tire. 

The sacrifice ultimately paid 

off and returned the company 

to profitability. But instead of 

rewarding its employees when 

times were good, Cooper used 

its $300 million in profits last 

year to pay its executives millions 

of dollars in bonuses and 

to buy a new corporate jet. 

Meanwhile, Cooper workers 

got locked out and replacement 

workers got their jobs. 

Dave Nye, a 25-year 

employee with Cooper Tire 

said the mood is still good on 

the picket line, despite starting 

the third month of the lock out. 

“Having unemployment helps 

but, right now, employees need 

everything. We feed picketers 

and we burn a lot of wood,” 

said Nye. 

This holiday season, OCSEA 

members helped support 

Cooper union workers, 

just as those workers showed 

their solidarity with public 

sector unions during the SB 5 

fight. OCSEA members and staff 

collected wood, coats, food, 

toys and checks to help locked 

out workers and their families 

have a better holiday. 

OCSEA continues to collect 

food and other items. Checks 

made out to Local 207L can 

be sent to: 

Local 207L, 1130 Summit St., 

Findlay, OH 45840. 

OCSEA Pres. Christopher Mabe presents donations to the locked 

out workers of Cooper Tire in December. 

The extra mile... 

“I buy extra gifts throughout the year for friends 

and family, and this year I gave money to my 

family, instead of gifts. I thought, ‘What am I going 

to do with these gifts?’ These people at Cooper Tire 

can use it instead of sitting in my basement. OCSEA 

had already sent the items up that they had collected. 

I thought, I’m not doing anything on Christmas 

Eve. So, I called the board members of our chapter. 

We only had $500 in our account, because we had 

wiped out our account on SB 5. But we gave $200.” 

Saturday morning I got up at 7 a.m., got in 

my car, got some coffee. It was dark when I left. I 

stopped by one of the picket areas and asked where 

their union hall was. I drove in and the guys seemed 

to be in high spirits. For being off work, they looked 

in good spirits, but it was bittersweet. I gave them 

some Christmas gifts 

and some money 

and I left. It felt good.” 

OCSEA activists 

support 

Cooper Tire 

workers on 

the picket line 

in Findlay. 

Tim Hunstman 

IC Chapter 2525 

District 6 delegate 

chapter steward 


Contract road shows offer glimpse into historic contract 

To help OCSEA chapters prepare for the ratification process 

in early December, OCSEA officers, bargaining team 

members and staff traveled to every OCSEA district to 

discuss the first-ever, agreed-upon contract extension. 

OCSEA Pres. Christopher Mabe and the team talked about what 

exactly this contract is worth to OCSEA members and their families 

and thanked activists for their efforts to repeal SB 5 – which gave 

the union the strength to bargain such an historic contract. 

See pages 4-5 for more on the historic contract extension. 

OCSEA officers Pres. 

Christopher Mabe (left), 

Vice Pres. Kelvin Jones 

(below right) and Sec’y- 

Treas. Kathy Stewart (below 

left) traveled the state over 

a two-week period to lay 

out the details of an historic 

contract extension. 

At nine road 

shows around 

the state, including 

in Athens (left) 

and Youngstown 

(above), leaders go 

over the extended 

contract to take 

information back to 

their membership. 

Members in Mansfield take part in a 

Q&A session on the contract. 

Activists from the Northwest Developmental Center give a 

thumbs up to ratifying the contract. 

Learning about OCSEA’s contract with the state is a family 

affair in Cleveland. 


Going above the 

call of duty 

Kudos goes out to 

two Ohio Dept. 

of Transportation 

employees who helped save 

a Carroll County family in 

late January. While the two 

Highway Technicians were 

on their late night shift, they 

detected a barn engulfed in 

flames. The blaze was so hot, 

it was threatening nearby 

homes. The heroes went to 

the scene and immediately 

woke the family and notified 

the fire department before 

the fire could spread to the 

family’s home and neighboring 

properties. Bob Griffith 

and John Beckley were commended 

by fire officials, 

ODOT and the local newspaper 

in New Philadelphia, 

the Times Reporter, for their 

heroics and quick, life-saving 

actions. 

“We’re so proud of these 

guys. We do a lot of good 

in ODOT and this is just 

another example of that,” 

said Carroll County Assistant 

Transportation Manager Ken 

Manfull. 

“We’re definitely going 

to nominate these men for 

a Total ODOT Performance 

(TOPs) Award for their heroism. 

They saved lives and we 

couldn’t be prouder,” said 

Chap. 1000 President Sabrina 

Bell. 

Know of other acts of 

heroism, charitable giving or 

just plain kindness by OCSEA 

members? Tell us about it at 

doneill@ocsea.org. 

John Beckley (left) and Bob Griffith (right), ODOT Highway 

Technicians, have a lot to be happy about. They recently saved a 

family from a fire that could have claimed their home and lives. 

You made 

history. 

Now you can 

Preserve it. 

Were you involved in the fight 

to keep public employee 

collective bargaining rights 

alive in Ohio? Now you can remember the 

historic movement forever with a commemorative 

poster. Through photos, the large We 

Made History poster details the fight against 

Senate Bill 5 and Issue 2 – from the State House 

to the voting booth. 

Get your very own today at 

OCSEA headquarters at 

390 Worthington Rd. Ste. A, 

Westerville OH 43082 or contact your 

OCSEA Staff Representative. 

Winter 2012 Public Employee Quarterly rly 23

LOCAL 

AFL-CIO 



390 Worthington Road, Ste. A 

Westerville, OH 43082-8331 

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE QUARTERLY 

COVER STORY 

War on 

workers: 

What will the 

next fight be? 

W i n t E R 2 0 1 2 

feature stories 

2 

Keeping SB5 momentum 

going —in 2012 

4-5 

departments 

3 

17 

18 

FROM THE PRESIDENT 

STEWARD SPOTLIGHT 

MEETING NOTICES 

6-7 

ROCKY ROADS 

and Victories 

8-9 

War on workers 

continues... 

10 

20-21 

Giving Thanks, 

Giving Back

Download - OCSEA

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