OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS /SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

OCSEA is calling for an immediate meeting with the Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) regarding a recently proposed staffing change that could potentially impact hundreds of ODJFS union members who provide federal job services. The staffing change proposes moving work, now done by OCSEA members under the Wagner-Peyser Act, to an undefined “partnered local model.”

 

OCSEA is demanding that ODJFS and OCB sit down with union leaders to review the proposal and discuss its impact on state union employees as well as its compliance with the OCSEA collective bargaining agreement.

 

“OCSEA has serious concerns regarding the Department’s decision to communicate this initiative directly to bargaining unit employees without providing advance notice to OCSEA Headquarters. An initiative of this nature, particularly one involving potential changes to bargaining unit work, warrants prior communication and meaningful discussion with the union,” said OCSEA President Chris Mabe in a letter to ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder and to OCB.

 

Wagner-Peyser is a federally funded program providing labor exchange services in each state. Labor exchange services include job matching and placement for employers and Ohio job seekers, including our veterans. Currently these services are provided by highly qualified OCSEA union members within ODJFS’s Office of Workforce Development.

 

Until recently, federal rules required that states use state “merit staff” to provide Wagner-Peyser services. Merit staff under the Wagner-Peyser Act refers to a state government employee who is hired to perform delivery of public labor-exchange services.

 

Effective October 19, 2026, the Trump Administration’s U.S. Dept. of Labor (DOL) will remove the mandatory merit staff rule, a requirement that OCSEA has fought to protect for more than two decades. While the DOL says this is purely “voluntary” for states, the union is concerned that Ohio’s workforce development leaders are jumping at the opportunity to reduce union merit staff at the first sign of a lapse in the rule.

 

“Basically, this administration is asking for forgiveness instead of permission. And it’s a slap in the face to hard-working state union members who provide these services,” said OCSEA ODJFS Assembly President Damon Neal.

 

“What will happen to reemployment activities is anyone’s guess, and that’s a big concern. It hinges on where you live and what resources are available,” he said. Neal says the union will protect its members and the services they provide.

 

Stay tuned for updates on this issue in future emails and on the OCSEA website at OCSEA.org.

On Sept. 12, 2026, over 300 OCSEA activists attended the OCSEA Bargaining Council in Columbus to elect the next OCSEA State Contract Bargaining Team. The Team will negotiate the OCSEA state contract that expires at the end of February 2027 and includes 24 OCSEA union members representing every state OCSEA bargaining unit as well as OCSEA's three executive officers.

 

Now that the Team has been elected, our next steps will be to start building a winning strategy around our theme: Our Contract! Our Future! For the elected team members, that means working hard before the start of bargaining to get training on procedure, talk strategy and to take a deeper dive into the bargaining survey results. Over the next several weeks the team will focus on the priorities of the membership to create bargaining proposals and come up with strategies and tactics that match those priorities.

See the list of Bargaining Team members by bargaining unit and get all bargaining updates atOCSEA.org/bargaining.

Bargaining Council Photo Gallery

In a major victory for retirees and working people, the Senate failed to pass the CLARITY Act, legislation that would have made it easier for the crypto industry to gamble with workers’ hard-earned pensions and 401(k) savings. AFSCME retirees and working members played a key role in our advocacy against the bill, sharing their stories with their legislators.

 

“Working people do not want to see their hard-earned money put into an unregulated, unpredictable crypto casino,” said AFSCME President Patrick Moran in a statement. “We thank the senators who saw through this corrupt con job and voted down this bill. During a time of so much financial uncertainty, we urge Congress to stay focused on bringing down costs and helping working families save for retirement––things they need. AFSCME members will continue to fight to ensure our retirement security won’t be threatened by crypto grifters,” he said.

 

AFSCME retirees like Frank Weglarz, the president of AFSCME Retirees Subchapter 120 from Ohio, are worried about the possibility of cryptocurrency invading public pensions. “I’m really concerned because I think crypto is so volatile,” said Weglarz, who was head custodian for a public school in Ohio. “I worry about my pension. It keeps me going. That’s how I pay my bills. And I don’t want to see any uncertainty in my pension or anyone else’s.”

"It’s Better in a Union" was the theme for the 35th Biennial Convention of the Ohio AFL-CIO held this week in Columbus. Delegates were fired up to hear from Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Governor and Sherrod Brown who’s running for another term in the U.S. Senate. OCSEA members had an opportunity to meet and talk with both candidates.

 

Also at the convention, OCSEA President Chris Mabe was re-elected to serve on the Ohio AFL-CIO’s Executive Board.

All subordinate body leaders are encouraged to attend one of two upcoming OCSEA Financial Leadership Trainings. Two events are scheduled over the next few months: Tuesday, October 6 from 3-5 p.m. and Tuesday, December 8 from 3-5 p.m. All events will be held at the OCSEA Union Hall in Westerville. You can only register for one session.

 

While it is a finance-themed training, it is also an important event for all subordinate body leaders to attend. In addition to rebates, reporting, forms, minutes and more, the training will also cover officer and executive board duties.

 

Sign up using the form at this link. You will be able to choose which training you would like to attend. When registering, indicate whether you will need release time. Please note: lost wages and mileage will not be provided by OCSEA Central Office; contact your subordinate body with questions about those expenses.

 

Have questions? Contact the OCSEA Membership Resource Center (MRC) at 888-627-3211.

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Join union leaders and members across Ohio for door-to-door canvass events every Saturday. These events will allow union voices to talk one-on-one in neighborhoods with union families about electing union-strong endorsed candidates up and down the ballot!

 

LABOR 2026 CANVASS: EVERY SATURDAY

• COLUMBUS: UFCW Local 1059, 4150 E Main St. | Contact: Mike French, mfrench@ohaflcio.org
• CLEVELAND: Locations vary by week | Contact: Rebecca Gorski, rgorski@clevelandaflcio.org
• TOLEDO: TFT, 115 S St. Clair St., Toledo, OH 43604 | Contact: Mike Noll, mnoll@ohaflcio.org
• NILES: USW 2155/Mahoning-Trumbull CLC, 1265 N. Main St. | Contact: Kathleen Kelly-Calcei, kcalcei@ohaflcio.org
• CANTON: USW Golden Lodge, 1234 Harrison Ave., SW | Contact: Kathleen Kelly-Calcei, kcalcei@ohaflcio.org
• DAYTON: Dayton-Miami Valley CLC, 6550 Poe Ave. | Contact: Will Minehart, wminehart@ohaflcio.org
• AKRON: Tri-County Regional Labor Council, 720 Wolf Ledges Pkwy | Contact: Kyle Weidleman, kweidlem@aft.org
• CINCINNATI: Cincinnati AFL-CIO/APWU Local 164, 1385 Tennessee Ave. | Contact: Will Minehart, wminehart@ohaflcio.org

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