THE OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / JANUARY 5, 2023
Apply for the OCSEA scholarship! Get college money for dependents, spouse...and you!
It's OCSEA Les Best Scholarship time! And that means money for college for Ohio's hard-working public employee union members and their families. Each year, OCSEA’s Les Best Scholarship program awards a total of $12,000 in scholarships to OCSEA dues-paying members as well as their spouses and dependents.*
This scholarship program is another great benefit of being a union member, because it puts money directly into the hands of union families.
Applying for the scholarship is a simple process, and applications can be downloaded at OCSEA.org/lesbest. All application materials must be mailed back to OCSEA by April 30, 2023.
Learn how to apply
*All Les Best eligible applicants may win the scholarship up to three times, meaning applicants are encouraged to reapply yearly. Participants can only apply for a scholarship in one category annually.
RSVP for January 17 Working-Out-of-Class training
OCSEA will hold an online Working-Out-of-Class (WOC) grievance training on Tuesday, January 17 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. RSVP today, as only 50 seats are available and will fill up fast. The deadline to register is Friday, January 13.
The objective of the current WOC contract language is to ensure employees work within their appropriate classifications. The WOC language can be found in Article 19 of the OCSEA State Contract. This training will give members and their stewards the tools they need to know when it is appropriate to file a WOC grievance as well as how to work through the WOC grievance process.
The training will be held on Zoom. When you RSVP, you will receive a confirmation and meeting participation link. The training will last two hours and is being presented by OCSEA Paralegal Jennie Lewis. This OCSEA event counts toward certification of stewards.
RSVP on Zoom
Resolve to reconnect with your union in 2023!
Why not let 2023 be the year you reconnect with your union! As a member-driven union, making OCSEA run means hard work and dedication of ALL members of the union to make a difference. This includes everything from contract enforcement and labor/management relationships to communication and chapter building. As a public union member, here are just a few resolutions that you can make to become more active and involved as a union member.
Get Trained - Resolve this year to take at least one OCSEA training. This could be as simple as taking a Basic Steward training to get to know your union contract. Remember, you don't have to become a steward to take Basic Steward training, but the more members who know the contract, the better off we all are and the more leverage we have to make change at the bargaining table and beyond.
Get Involved - Resolve to get involved in your local chapter. Every member is assigned to a chapter. Ask your chapter leaders how you can attend an upcoming meeting and get more involved. Not sure who to contact? Get in touch with the OCSEA Member Resource Center at 888-OCSEA11 or MRC@ocsea.org to get help. Don't forget that State contract negotiations is coming up at the end of next year and we'll need everyone's involvement to ensure we get a strong contract.
Stay Informed - Resolve to keep up with union news. A good way to do that is to make sure your email is up-to-date so you get weekly union emails. You can check your profile HERE. And, make sure you visit OCSEA.org often, too, for the latest news and events.
Promote unionism - Resolve to talk up the power of being union. With so much negativity in the world, talking positively about the good things in our lives can really help. For more than a century, unions have built up the middle class and given workers a voice when they had none. We still need this today. And we need union members to spread the word about all the good that comes with being union, to their families, friends, social media friends and communities.
Take Action - Resolve to take action when public services and unions are under fire. There are two things that OCSEA members have in common: all are government employees and all are union members. So, when public jobs, benefits, pensions and union power are attacked, we must all come together in solidarity. And when there is a call to action, we must all be ready to answer that call. For example, Ohio's House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR6) last year threatened over 100 years of democracy that gives Ohioans a right to a citizen-led ballot initiative. That's right, the same right that let us defeat Senate Bill 5 will likely be under attack again this new year. Just like the fight against SB5, we will need every member to take action! Stay tuned to keep informed and take action on this and many other issues impacting public union members.
Save the Dates. Upcoming conference schedule announced.
Mark your calendars for several upcoming OCSEA conferences to be held this winter and spring. All active members are highly encouraged to attend any of these union events. Stay tuned to this space for information on registration, hotel bookings, and event agendas.
- Committee on Minority and Community Affairs (CMCA) Conference
March 17-18 – Summit Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Women’s Action Committee (WAC) Conference
April 21-22 – Salt Fork Park Lodge and Conference Center
- Steward Conference – June 3
Polaris Hilton, Columbus, Ohio
Additionally, the OCSEA Biennial Convention will be held Aug. 24-26 in Columbus at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Stay tuned for information on how you can participate in electing chapter delegates to attend the convention and more.
Download the latest virtual union bulletin board
The January 2023 Union Bulletin Board Network (UBBN) fliers are now available for download at OCSEA.org/UBBN.
The virtual UBBN gives OCSEA members access to informational union fliers with a simple click. With some members continuing to telework, many working hybrid and others working 100% on site, the UBBN fliers–– distributed online monthly––give OCSEA members access to important union information. This includes OCSEA events, discounts and more. Chapters are also urged to place these fliers on their workplace bulletin boards, where applicable, and distribute at meetings. Any chapter that needs assistance with printing fliers should contact the OCSEA mailroom at 614-865-4733.
This month's virtual fliers include information on OCSEA's Les Best Scholarship program, an upcoming Union Night with the Columbus Blue Jackets and upcoming OCSEA conferences.
Download UBBNs