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OFT Members Julie Sellers and Elizabeth Jones Win Seats on STRS Board

COLUMBUS — Today, the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Ohio announced election results for three seats on the Retirement Board that governs the system. Julie Sellers, an elementary school teacher who currently serves as President of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, won a contributing member seat and Elizabeth Jones, a retired high school English teacher and Guidance Counselor who currently serves as President of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers—Retired, won a retiree seat. 

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Lorain Charter School Educators Avert Lockout, Ratify Strong Contract

LORAIN, OH — Educators at Summit Academy Secondary Lorain ratified their first union contract earlier this week. The collective bargaining agreement contains the strongest wage improvements and contract language among all three Summit Academy schools that have successfully bargained union contracts. The ratification followed a tumultuous few days in which management threatened to lock out educators and immediately strip them of their health insurance. 

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OFT Opposes House Bill 616

Columbus, OH — Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, released the following statement about House Bill 616, which combines legislation that bans so-called "divisive concepts" with legislative language similar to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law. 

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Educators at Menlo Park Academy Win Union Vote!

CLEVELAND, OH — Educators at Menlo Park Academy, a charter school in Cleveland that serves gifted students, won their union election today after the official vote count was tallied by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They are the ninth charter school to form a union with the Cleveland Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Cleveland ACTS), a local union that is affiliated with the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

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Educators at Summit Academy Secondary Lorain Win Union Vote

LORAIN, OH – Educators at Summit Academy Secondary Lorain won their union election today after the official vote count was tallied by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They are the third Summit Academy school, and the eighth charter school of any kind, to form a union with the Cleveland Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Cleveland ACTS), a local union that is affiliated with the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). 

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Ohio Federation of Teachers endorses Tim Ryan for U.S. Senate

Earlier this week, the statewide Executive Council for the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) voted to endorse U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan for the U.S. Senate. The Executive Council is composed of educators, school support staff, and public employees who are members of OFT’s 54 local unions. “We’ve seen Tim Ryan be a leader in his community by fighting to protect good jobs when GM closed their Lordstown factory, a leader in Congress on workers’ rights and education, and a leader by example when he supported and recognized his campaign staff’s right to form a union,” said Melissa Cropper, OFT President. “We’re proud to support his campaign because he has spent his career supporting students, educators, and working people.”

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Menlo Park Academy Is Using Public Education Funding in Union Busting Attempt

Cleveland, OH — The administration at Menlo Park Academy, a K-8 charter school that serves gifted students, has been using public education funds to engage in a union busting campaign. The anti-union campaign, which includes anti-union literature and frivolous legal challenges intended to delay the election, began shortly after 96% of eligible employees supported forming the union and signed union authorization cards. The cards were submitted to the National Labor Relations Board on November 12 and include support from teachers, instructional assistants, instructional aides, one-on-one aides, and other licensed educators. 

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OFT Statement on the Ohio State Board of Education 

We look forward to working with Board President McGuire and Vice President Dackin, new members Brandon Kern and Richard Chernesky, and the rest of the state school board members to address the immediate challenges that Ohio students and schools are facing, including labor shortages, public health precautions, and increased student behavior issues.”

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Ohio Federation of Teachers and Ohio Education Association Oppose Legislation That Endangers Students

Columbus, OH — Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and Scott DiMauro, President of the Ohio Education Association, released the following joint statement in opposition to HB 454, a bill that would ban gender affirming mental and physical healthcare for minors in Ohio. The bill would also prohibit educators and school counselors from keeping students’ feelings about gender identity confidential. 

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Workers at Worthington Libraries Win Union Vote Overwhelmingly

Librarians and other workers at Worthington Libraries voted 80-10 (89%) to form their union with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, according to election results that were released today by Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB). The organizing campaign was driven by concerns that too many library policies, including health and safety concerns and paid leave policies, were being made without any input from library employees. 

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