ODNR Assembly discusses youth work program, convention

May 21, 2009 - The ODNR Assembly met Saturday, May 16 to make plans for the upcoming OCSEA/AFSCME 28th biennial convention, and to address their concerns about the national youth employment program coming to the agency this summer.

The Recovery Conservation Corps, or RCC, was the biggest focus of the meeting. In April, it was announced that the federal stimulus money-funded program would bring around 20,000 youth workers, ages 16-24, to the agency to pick up litter, do landscaping, pull weeds, and other duties.The youth will be those in need of employment and from low-income backgrounds.

The program will displace no workers, nor will it reduce any worker’s hours. ODNR workers will not supervise the youth workers.

It is the hope of both labor and management that workers will be sure to exhibit professionalism to the RCCs, just as they would to one another or anyone in the public. A joint letter from ODNR and OCSEA will be sent to ODNR workers explaining the program in more detail.

In other news, assembly members voted to purchase promotional items, such as polo T-shirts, to distribute at convention in August.

The assembly also heard a report on the Building Union Power conference that took place in April. “The speaker, Ed Schultz, was just dynamite,” said Assembly Pres. Steve Kullman.

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OCSEA Biennial Convention

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