Kansas - State Workers Mark First Convention, Providers Win First Contract

Historic Day Kansas home child care providers and state officials gathered to sign the providers’ first contract. 

Photo Credit:

Don Zavodny

Topeka, Kansas

Kansas state employees and licensed home child care providers celebrated major achievements in February, won through their AFSCME affiliates.

Founding Convention

Laying the groundwork for a better future, members of Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE) AFT/AFSCME Local 300 met at their first convention in February to approve a permanent constitution and a slate of executive board nominations, and to learn about member-mobilization, political action and workplace representation.

Created in March 2007 through the merger of AFSCME and the American Federation of Teachers, KOSE is the largest union of Kansas state employees, representing more than 11,000 non-supervisory, non-confidential classified employees in the executive branch of state government.

Even before the convention, KOSE members demonstrated their strength when the state’s severe cash shortage threatened to delay payrolls. They hit the phones and sent e-mails to their legislators, helping to ensure funding was provided.

“KOSE members finally understand how much power they have and how important it is to be involved in the political process,” says Lisa Ochs, newly elected president of KOSE and a psychologist at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex in Topeka.

First Contract

Seven-thousand registered or licensed home child care providers, who came together in 2007 to form Child Care Providers Together Kansas (CCPT)/AFSCME, celebrated another milestone in February when they signed their first contract with the state.

“This gives us a voice. And as we move forward and the membership continues to grow, we will have an impact on regulatory and legislative issues important to providers,” says Scott Keller, who runs a group daycare home in Wichita and was recently elected president of Local 644 (Kansas/Missouri Council 72.)

The contract establishes the framework for strengthening ties between the providers, two state agencies and the Legislature.