Thursday’s OCSEA Convention agenda was jam packed with speakers, learning opportunities and action items starting with two “welcomes” from friends of labor Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Franklin County Commissioner Erica Crawley.
Board Member Cynthia Watiker who introduced her “boss,” explained to delegates that it’s important union leaders have people on the other side of the bargaining table who respect us and who value our work like Commissioner Crawley.
Delegates stepped up in a big way during this morning session to donate tens of thousands of dollars in relief to our AFSCME union brothers and sister in Maui ravaged by the wildfires. Nearly 300 AFSCME members live the city. In total, chapters and subordinate bodies and OCSEA have pledged a total of $55,350. Amazing!!!
During the morning General Session OCSEA President Chris Mabe broke down the State of the Union, letting delegates know that the union is strong and will continue to fight off attacks in the state legislature and beyond. He explained that emergency pay, which is currently in the court system could have political twists and turns such as being heard by Mike DeWine’s son on the Ohio Supreme Court. But he also said the union wouldn’t stop fighting for that and other COVID grievances until the very last gavel.
Former Governor Dick Celeste and Former OCSEA President Ron Alexander helped the body celebrate and look back on 40 years of collective bargaining. Gov. Celeste thanked activists for carrying on a strong labor tradition with Senate Bill 5 and then again, more recently, with Issue 1.
In the afternoon Tom Juravich, a Futurist, impressed on delegates the need for union members to engage in discussion of technology and Artificial Intelligence. He said any discussion of the Future of Work had to include the human element. Juravich, a Labor Studies Professor at the University of Massachusetts, has recently conducted a major study of the National AFL-CIO workers, union and new technology.
Finally, the afternoon concluded with a lively panel discussion from some new and old leaders of OCSEA who talked about how they got involved in the union and what advice they would give to new leaders. Jon Fannin, one of the panelists and Montgomery Chap. 5700 President, said he got involved with the union because he wanted to make ODOT a better place to work for his son when he got older. Cindy Whicker, Vice Pres. of Chap. 2510-School for the Deaf, said she got involved because a union leader helped her apply for other positions and really took an interest in her career goals. “When she came tapping on my shoulder to come to a chapter meeting, I said 'yes',” she said.
