OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / APRIL 8, 2026
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OCSEA demands changes after more staff assaults at Indian River
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On the weekend before Easter, two more staff members were assaulted at the Indian River DYS facility in Massillon. One of the staff members, a DRC Corrections Sergeant who volunteered to work overtime at the facility, was knocked unconscious while youths unlocked doors and attacked other inmates. “The escalating cycle of violence at Indian River is the result of mismanagement at the highest levels of the Department of Youth Services,” said OCSEA President Chris Mabe. “We need more staffing, a safer work environment and changes at the top of DYS. And we need it now.”
President Mabe and OCSEA staff toured Indian River last week and found the facility dangerously understaffed. During the inspection tour, each unit had only one officer on duty where there are supposed to be two.
Davion Thomas, a Juvenile Corrections Officer at Indian River and the President of Chapter 7660, says the situation has gotten worse. Thomas and President Mabe were interviewed by a reporter from Channel 5 in Cleveland for a story about the ongoing violence at the facility (see the link below). While the staffing situation remains unresolved, DYS has announced they are pausing the transfer of any more youth to Indian River through the month of April.
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Chap. 7660 President Davion Thomas and OCSEA President Chris Mabe are interviewed outside the facility.
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Expanded Discount College: Navigate higher education with Edvance
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OCSEA is excited to announce an expansion of its discount college program! This includes a NEW partnership: Union College Benefit powered by Edvance, an education benefit designed to better support members and their families, offering affordable college options from six accredited schools with over 125 degree and certificate options.
OCSEA members and their families now have access to the Union College Benefit powered by Edvance––a network of six accredited schools and 125+ fully online programs designed to fit the lives of busy, working adults. Navigating higher education can be complex, but Edvance makes it simple, helping quality education fit your budget and schedule:
- Affordable Tuition: Save up to 40% on cost-conscious programs designed to fit your budget. Tuition discounts can be combined with other eligible financial aid and scholarships to help you save even more.
- Career-Aligned Programs: 100% online undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates that work around your schedule. Choose from programs in psychology, social work, healthcare, management, and more.
- Support For Success: Edvance’s team of unionized employees help you explore your program and school options, select the right program, and ensure your questions and concerns are addressed, so you can move forward with confidence.
- A Benefit for Your Family: Spouses or domestic partners, children, grandchildren, parents, and dependents are also eligible to access discounted tuition and personalized guidance.
There’s no cost to explore your benefit or apply to any of the schools within Edvance’s network.
Edvance joins our other discount college partnerships as we expand our union education benefits for OCSEA members and families. OCSEA members still have access to all previous union discount college benefits, including the EBS Union College Benefit, with its continued marketplace of online college discounts. Learn about all the OCSEA discount college opportunities HERE.
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OCSEA responds to "infestation" of drugs in state prisons
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Ohio’s major newspapers just published an in-depth investigation into rampant drug smuggling at the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. The investigation exposed a growing problem that corrections officers know all too well—that illegal drugs are flowing into state prisons and putting staff at tremendous risk. OCSEA President Chris Mabe was interviewed for the report and said, “There is an infestation of narcotics in prisons all over Ohio.”
During an appearance on WOSU radio, President Mabe talked about the investigation and called for more funding to equip Corrections Officers with tasers and urged the state legislature to pass Andy’s Law. The law, named after CO Andrew Lansing, who was murdered on Christmas Day 2024, would toughen penalties for attacks on officers. The Ohio House of Representatives has passed the legislation, and the bill is now waiting for more hearings in the Senate.
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Save the Dates: UBT Open Enrollment is May 7 - May 20
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Heads up! The Union Benefits Trust open enrollment period is coming up next month. The enrollment dates are Thursday, May 7th through Wednesday, May 20th. The UBT Open Enrollment Guide will be mailed to your homes and posted on BenefitsTrust.org later this month.
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Women's Action Committee Conference speaker list announced
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The annual OCSEA Women's Action Committee (WAC) Conference is taking place May 1-2, 2026, at Deer Creek Lodge and Conference Center in Mount Sterling, Ohio. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Learn about the event, how to register, and view the tentative agenda at OCSEA.org/WAC. The deadline to book lodging at Deer Creek is this Friday, April 10.
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There is a full slate of guest speakers who will be addressing attendees during the conference's general session on Saturday May 2, including several candidates for public office. The Women's Action Committee is excited to welcome the following guest speakers: special message from Amy Acton, candidate for Governor; Kathleen Clyde, the Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party; Annette Blackwell, Mayor of Maple Heights, Ohio, and candidate for Ohio Auditor; Dr. Julius Bailey, Phd., a professor of philosophy and Director of Justice, Law and Public Policy at Wittenberg University; and Justice Jennifer Brunner, an Associate Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court, currently running for re-election.
"We're honored to have this prestigious list of speakers attending our upcoming women's conference," said WAC Chair Natalie Qualls. "All are supporters of the labor movement and the public work we do. We look forward to absorbing their presentations and getting guidance on how we, as union members, can protect public service, union rights, our communities––and support pro-union candidates running for offices––including our bosses," she said.
See the full list of speakers and their bios at OCSEA.org/WAC.
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Workers Memorial Day is April 28; Can your chapter hold an event?
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Elevating workplace safety and health issues is more important than ever. At a time of deep division, the desire for a safe and healthy workplace is something that unites people, and is important for our organizing, bargaining and advocacy.
The situation is dire. EACH DAY, more than 380 workers are killed and more than 8,600 suffer injury and illness because of dangerous working conditions that are preventable.
That's why on Workers Memorial Day, April 28, we won’t just mourn; we must step forward to hold the line and confront the moment we are in. We must hold employers accountable to keep workers safe. We must demand more—not fewer—government resources to do this. We must demand dignity at work.
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Want to hold a chapter event
to Hold the Line for Safe Jobs?
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