Union concerned over Governor's "framework" to balance budget

June 20, 2009 - Members of the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association were not at all happy to learn that Governor Strickland would be recommending a double hit to Ohio’s working families with cuts to state services and to public employee pension contributions in order to fill a $3.2 billion dollar state budget hole.

In a late day press conference on Friday, the Governor laid out a proposal to balance the state budget that would cut state agencies by $2.43 billion dollars and decrease the employers' contribution to the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System from 14 to 8 percent of pay. The OPERS decrease would take place over two years and be paid back in subsequent years, according to finance director Pari Sabety.

“While we understand the enormous dilemma faced by Governor Strickland and the state legislature, we do not agree that we should balance the budget in large measure by targeting services Ohioans depend on,” said President Eddie L. Parks. “We also believe that further cuts to working class families in the form of a decrease in employer pension contributions is a dangerous road to go down.”

OPERS has already made some major reforms to retain the funds’ solvency in recent years, including an increase in the employee contribution, changes in the level of benefits, and adjustments in health care.

“Public employees have already taken a whack in their pay by having to take unpaid days off as well as other contract concessions like the freezing of personal leave. Four institutions have closed and we’ve lost more than 3,000 state employees in the last biennium. Haven’t we given our share?” said Parks.

OCSEA leaders have been calling for the creation of responsible new revenue sources that don’t penalize working families or those in need who depend on public services. The union has agreed that tax changes enacted in 2005 should be reevaluated or suspended and that other revenue options could also be considered. At least one media outlet has reported that reversing just half of those tax changes could restore almost $2 billion.

In the meantime, OCSEA members are being asked to participate in OCSEA's Day of Action on June 23. Union members will be contacting legislators by phone, mail and email to protest agency cuts.

OCSEA represents nearly 35,000 state employees who work in a wide range of security, safety, construction, regulatory, clerical, professional and direct care positions. The union is an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

See Related

AGENCY FRAMEWORK (PDF)

GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT

State Budget News

OCSEA's June 23 Day of Action

Activists gather to tell others about Day of Action

Columbus Dispatch June 19, 2009 article