Ohio – Historic Agreement Extends Collective Bargaining Contract

The overwhelming defeat in November of Senate Bill 5 – preserving collective bargaining for Ohio’s public service workers – is credited with encouraging the state to reach a quick contract agreement with the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA)/AFSCME Local 11.

Before OCSEA negotiators sat down with state officials to work out an agreement for a new three-year contract, Gov. John Kasich said he would force the union to swallow S.B. 5-type provisions in the contract if voters supported the measure. But when voters rejected it by 61 to 39 percent, Kasich retreated. The state extended the current contract for three years. OCSEA members later approved the deal.

The new contract retains all current provisions, but does not include furlough days that were part of the earlier agreement, nor a freeze on personal leave and step increases.

“Our members wanted us to retain those benefits we currently have and we did that,” said OCSEA Sec.-Treas. Kathy Stewart. “This agreement continues the 15 percent employee premium share of health care, maintaining step increases and an education benefit.”

OCSEA Pres. Christopher Mabe added, “Our negotiating team understood the difficult economic recovery this state continues to face and made the decision to forgo any wage increases.”

“The citizens of Ohio voted overwhelmingly to give us back our seat at the table,” said OCSEA Vice Pres. Kelvin Jones. “This agreement proves that collective bargaining works and that frontline state employees want to move forward in a way that benefits us all.”