COLUMBUS —  Despite providing a 3% pay increase to non-union staff, Equitas Health is only offering a 1% raise to union employees. The 1% offer, which management has stuck to over multiple bargaining sessions, was made during wage negotiations last week between the healthcare system and Equitas Health Workers United (EHWU), the union for nearly 200 frontline employees. Equitas Health management explicitly connected their lowball offer with an unfair labor practice charge from 2023 that is set to receive a hearing in December. 

COLUMBUS — The Executive Council of the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) recently voted to endorse Sherrod Brown for Senate in the 2026 election. The Executive Council is made up of OFT member leaders from across the state. 

Melissa Cropper, OFT President, released the following statement about the endorsement: “Sherrod spent his career fighting for the dignity of work and economic justice for Ohio families. Ohio — and the rest of the country — were better off when we had his unabashedly pro-worker, pro-union, pro-education voice in the Senate."

COLUMBUS — Today, members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), and the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors (OC AAUP) filed a lawsuit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas challenging an unconstitutional and discriminatory provision in the most recent Ohio state budget that strips educators of their rightful voice on the the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.

“This policy is the latest in a long line of attacks against educators in Ohio,” said Glenetta Krause, a district-wide teacher mentor for Cincinnati Public Schools and member of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, who is the lead plaintiff. “Statehouse politicians have underfunded our public schools, rolled back our collective bargaining rights, fully eliminated Ohio’s elected State Board of Education, and told us what we can and can’t teach. Now they’re taking away our representation on our own retirement board. This lawsuit is about restoring fairness and protecting our fundamental right to have a say in how our retirement is managed.”

Tell State Representative Bob Peterson, Chair of the House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee, to hold a second hearing on HB 719, a bipartisan bill that would protect elected seats on the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.

There has been just one hearing on HB 719 where only the sponsor was able to speak. Educators across the state deserve an opportunity to testify on HB 719, a bill that impacts their retirement..

“For decades, Sherrod Brown has stood up for Ohio workers and for quality public education. He fought against unfair trade agreements that hurt Ohio communities; passed the American Miners Act to keep Ohio mineworkers safe and healthy; passed the Butch Lewis Act to restore pensions for more than 100,000 Ohio workers; and protected Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act from relentless attacks. Most recently, in December 2024, Sherrod was able to pass the Social Security Fairness Act which ended financial penalties for public sector workers who were also due to receive social security benefits."

Congratulations to our 2025 Tom Mooney Memorial Scholarship winners: Santino Diligente and Addison Penny!

“It is clear from the policy choices made in this budget that Governor DeWine, Ohio House Speaker Huffman, and Ohio Senate President McColley value profits over people and stadiums over students."

NEWARK, OHIO — On Friday, June 6, the United Faculty/Central Ohio Technical College (UF/COTC) filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge over COTC’s refusal to sign a contract agreement and their insistence that the union return to the bargaining table and accept concessions. The contract agreement became binding after it was ratified by the union and the COTC Board failed to act within the time limit that is set in Ohio law. The administration’s refusal to sign the contract signals that they have no intention of following the contract.

“Union members negotiated our contract in good faith, reached an agreement with our college, and overwhelmingly ratified the agreement,” said Martin Schmerr, a Biology Professor at COTC and President of UF/COTC. “Ohio law is clear. Since we ratified the contract and our administration didn’t vote on ratification within the allotted time, our contract is officially approved. It’s outrageous that our Board is ignoring the law and acting as if we’re still in negotiations. It’s time for the Board to sign the contract so we can move forward together.”

Statement from the All in For Ohio Kids coalition: Four years ago, lawmakers promised to fully implement the Fair School Funding Plan in the 2026-27 budget. Since then, we have been waiting for state legislators to make good on their commitment, so all Ohio children – regardless of wealth, race, ability or background – can attend a public school that provides them with everything they need to succeed.

Unlike the House budget, the Senate sub bill retains more of the elements of the Fair School Funding Plan, yet when taken as a whole, it underfunds schools, increases uncertainty for districts, and makes it harder for districts to pass levies necessary to fill the gaps created by the continued shortchanging of education by the state.

OU flouts overwhelming faculty union majority and SERB decision with frivolous appeal.

ATHENS, OH — Members of the United Academics of Ohio University (UAOU) are undeterred by Ohio University’s (OU) appeal of their unsuccessful objection to certification of the faculty union. OU’s action ignoring the will of the majority of their faculty threatens to divide the university community at a time when unity is needed to push back on state and federal attacks on the academic and financial independence of universities and colleges.