Rally in Wilmington Monday Night‏

I would like for all of us to stand together for the rally at the Clinton County Fairgrounds Monday Night.  Another Local President (Melissa Cropper from Georgetown) was told by Senator Niehaus that he has the votes to pass it, it will pass, and it will pass when it goes to the House.  He concluded by telling her there’s no slowing it down.  I believe we all have something very different to say about that. We need to make some noise.

Kim Wiederhold

Our efforts are working....

What we are doing is working. Thousands of people showed up at the Statehouse to stand up for Ohio's working families against SB 5.  BUT WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP!  Don't forget to ask your family & friends to call 1-888-218-5931 and tell their legislators to vote against SB 5!

FPEA Jeans Day

We are please to announce the total for our Feburary FPEA Jeans Day was $95.00.

CALL KASICH WITH YOUR VIEW

Word is that Kasich’s office is conducting a statewide phone survey to get information on SB5 and perceptions of the governor.  Respondents giving low scores may  then be asked their opinion on several questions.

Obviously if you  receive the call, take advantage of that opportunity.

In addition, it is rumored that  Kasich MAY be tallying the number of calls concerning SB 5.  They may be numbering supporters and those opposed. 

Given that, we would encourage you to flood Kasich’s office with calls as well, clearly he is concerned with his image regarding these actions. If you get a busy signal or the message that the mailbox is full, keep trying until you get through so that your opinion will be tallied.

Please  call the governor’s office at 614-466-3555.

Thanks,

SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 5

If you’ve not had an opportunity to read up on Senate Bill 5, here is a summary:

The teeth of SB 5

The bill does the following things THAT AFFECT EVERY ONE OF YOUR

CONTRACTS: (given in order of appearance in the bill)

 1. After the bill's effective date, ONLY 1-YEAR CONTRACTS FOR TEACHERS  OR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

 2. NO MORE CONTINUING CONTRACTS FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE ONE after  the effective date of the bill

 3. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN OVER HEALTH CARE--Boards must govern their own  plans & EMPLOYEES MUST PAY AT LEAST 20%

 4. NO MORE SALARY SCHEDULES; BOARD DETERMINES EACH PERSON'S PAY BY  MERIT ONLY

 5. NO MORE MANDATORY SICK LEAVE; Boards required to set up their own  "general leave policies"

 6. RIF cannot be conducted by seniority only, but MUST INCLUDE MERIT  RATINGS, including VALUE-ADDED SCORES, etc.

 7. No more requirement to bargain over changing or deleting existing  terms of the CBA--Board can change it

 8. NO MORE BARGAINING OF EFFECTS OF MGMT DECISIONS

 9. When looking at bargaining salaries, all sides MUST consider  "ability to pay" WITHOUT COUNTING LEVIES THAT ARE UP OR WILL BE ADDED

 10. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN VACANCY/TRANSFER/JOB DUTIES (i.e. "no  restriction on Board or administration's ability to fill or assign  based on qualifications and suitability")

 11. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN ANY RESTRICTION ON CLASS SIZE

 12. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN ANY RESTRICTION ON A BOARD'S DETERMINATION OF  HOW TO ORDER A RIF

 13. Illegal to bargain any provision BETTER than the law, but CAN  bargain LESS than the law.

 14. IF IN FISCAL EMERGENCY, BOARD CAN TERMINATE CONTRACT WITH NOTICE;  MAY bargain a new one.

 15. Once Impasse is reached in negotiations, EMPLOYER MANDATED TO POST  ON THEIR WEBSITE BOARD'S & UNION'S LAST OFFERS

16. Strikes WOULD still be Legal, BUT THE BOARD CAN GET AN INJUNCTION AT  ANY TIME

 17. BOARD CAN HIRE PERMANENT REPLACEMENTS FOR STRIKERS

 18. Employers (Board members, administrators) can "offer opinions,  views, beliefs, etc." on negotiations topics without it being a ULP

URGENT CALL TO ACTION...Join the cyber lobbying and email your Ohio Senator!

URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL SWOEA MEMBERS:

Tonight the OEA Region 5 Coordinating Council (R5CC) suspended business as usual.  In response to Senate Bill 5 (SB5) and other pending legislation in Ohio’s Statehouse, the R5CC declared a state of crisis to address the dangers presented by this legislation.

Our first action was to form a crisis committee with the goals to inform members what’s at risk in the pending legislation and to engage members to avert this crisis.  We pledged that we would wake up every morning asking ourselves, “What can I do today to solve this crisis?” and to ask all OEA members to join us.
In conjunction with the R5CC, SWOEA asks all locals to also form a crisis committee to address SB5 and other anti-public education legislation. Through various means, we will be asking all members to help.

Today, we ask you to ask members to go to https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7ed63c4978e84786b84aab68fe982ed3&URL=http%3a%2f%2faces.ohea.org to become an OEA Cyber Lobbying Ace.  OEA’s password protected program allows OEA members to obtain information on these critical issues. From that site we ask you to email your Ohio Senator your concerns about SB5.

We will be in contact very often as the issues facing us are complex and appear to be on a fast track in the legislature.  We will be doing everything in our power to support your efforts to mobilize your members.

If it is at all possible, please consider attending hearings on SB5 at the Ohio Statehouse.  Proponent testimony will be held on February 15, 2011 at 2:30 pm and Opponent testimony will be held on February 17, 2011 at 10 am.

If you have questions or concerns please contact me at (513) 594-7129 or https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx

Calling all members to action,

Richard C. Packert
SWOEA, President

Urgent...OEA Educator Lobby Days.

Association Leaders,

By now, you may have already read the details of SB 5.  If anyone had any question at all as to the intentions of the Republican Party they should not have any after seeing these details. I have attached copies of the entire SB5 for you to share with your members along with the testimony of the sponsor for SB5.  That being said, now is when the hard work and grassroots effort starts. I am asking each of you personally, over the next days, weeks and months, to please assist each other, leaders, members, retirees and the communities we live in work in to understand how this bill will impact education, children, our jobs and finally our communities. We are in this together and only together can we overcome this attack. This is not a policy debate, they plan on doing permanent injury.  The 500+ page bill hits almost every issue we stand for and hold dear--issues that took folks years and personal sacrifice to obtain.  Let’s be clear, as I sit here typing, I believe they have the votes...but we have the people and the heart.  Folks that came before us sacrificed to get 4117 we can do the same to keep it. We have to lobby and create activism on a scale we have never seen before.  That being said, a lot of information will be coming at you in the next few days, weeks and months. We have to make sure every member understands the harm this bill will cause and then translate that into action and conversation with others. We may have to translate this in ways that makes it very personal for folks to get them geared up.  Some things I can share with you right now:

We are working with a coalition group, Good Jobs Strong Communities, made up of community, labor, civil rights and environmental groups is coming together for the purpose of being an umbrella organization to organize major street demonstrations and events as well as increase public awareness collectively surrounding the many issues member organizations are working on.

Two dates to put in your calendar and to start letting folks know about:

March 15th at 5:00 p.m.--10-12 sites around the state will be targeted for mobilization of labor, community, civil rights and environmental groups. This is the day we expect the budget bill (more good news, right). We will host at least two of these events. As soon as we know which two and the locations of the others, I will let you know.

May 5th at 5:00 p.m. Large scale mobilization event in Columbus. We are hoping this will make history---also, this is the Thursday around the RA so folks should be in Columbus.  

OEA Educator Lobby Days in Columbus:

March 29th, April 5, April 12, May 10, May 24th, June 7th, June 14th and June 21st. 

OEA Educator Lobby Days in the Regions. TBD

Presidents' Day Weekend--Targeted for in-district meetings for State Senators.

Commitment Cards--incorporate the ask in every conversation you have. Talk about SB 5 and ask them to commit to helping defeat this bill. They can sign up through you (cards are attached) or through http://aces.ohea.org/site/PageServer.  You can email, fax or mail the commitment cards to me but either way I need them ASAP.  I would suggest maybe having your building representatives conduct 10 minute meetings to review this information and collect commitment cards at that time. 

In closing, I would also like to say that difficult times lay ahead for all of us. This is the time that we need to communicate and work collectively more than ever. This rests on all our shoulders and together, I believe we can do this.  

Yours In Union,

Jeff Nolasco

Your OEA Labor Relations Consultant

Categories:
Attachments:	Commitment to Public Educa~1.pdf‎ (29 KB‎)‎[Open as Web Page‎]; Senate Bill 5.pdf‎ (1 MB‎)‎[Open as Web Page‎]; SB 5 Sponsor Testimony.pdf‎ (177 KB‎)‎[Open as Web Page‎]

Urgent....please help!

We are in desperate need of teachers, especially Republicans, that were teaching prior to the enactment of the 1984 CB law. These teachers (probably retired by now) will serve as storytellers talking about the chaos and harsh working conditions that existed before CB. They will be used in media stories and possibly testify, etc...  I am aware of the OEA-R folks but I need a broader base from various pockets around Ohio. If you know of anyone willing to serve in this capacity, please send me their name, phone number and where the taught/teach. The fight is on.

Senate Bill 5 Targets Collective Bargaining for Elimination!

 
Sen. Shannon Jones (R-Springboro) has introduced legislation, Senate Bill 5 (SB 5), that will undermine the services that public employees provide to Ohio's students, families and communities.  SB 5 is expected to drastically curtail collective bargaining rights, ban public employee strikes, end collectively bargained salary schedules and institute so-called "merit pay" for public employees. Click here to take action immediately on Senate Bill 5.

The bill language for SB 5 is not yet available, but at a minimum, it targets all state workers and all Ohio higher education employees, which would include OEA members at Columbus State, Youngstown State and several other public colleges and community colleges, as well as OEA’s SCOPE bargaining unit, whose members educate incarcerated adults and youths. The bill threatens ALL public employees that work for Ohio agencies, many of them in other unions. Take action now on Senate Bill 5.

This proposed legislation is part of an overall wave of legislative proposals designed to limit the bargaining power and political influence of public employee unions like OEA and several others. OEA is now joining with our allies in the Ohio AFL-CIO, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, SEIU, CWA and other organized labor groups to counter anti-union legislative proposals. In solidarity with these other organizations, OEA’s campaign will inform and persuade legislators as well as members of the public. Click on this link to make your voice heard on Senate Bill 5.

OEA Legislative Watch

Pension Reform Begins with “Placeholder” Bills
in House and Senate

House Bill 69, sponsored by Representative Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon) has been introduced as a vehicle for pension reform in the Ohio House. At introduction, the bill would make changes to pension benefits approved by the five state retirement systems in 2009 but eliminates any additional employer contributions in those plans.

Last week the STRS Board made significant changes to the plan it had earlier adopted. Those changes and others are anticipated to be rolled into HB 69. OEA supports the changes recommended by OPERS and SERS. However, OEA believes that the changes recommended by the STRS Board are too severe and shift too much of a burden on active teachers while ignoring billions of dollars in market gains over the past six months.

HB 69 will be heard by a House subcommittee dealing with pension issues. During sponsor testimony, Representative Wachtmann indicated that he would like to see pension legislation enacted on the same timeline as the state budget and completed by July 1.

Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Senator Keith Faber (R-Celina), is another “placeholder” bill on pension reform. At this time, the only language that it contains calls for changes to the law to “modernize, update, and improve the actuarial soundness” of the state retirement systems.

For more information and to contact your state legislators and take action on pension reform click here http://aces.ohea.org/

Officers Meeting

Thursday 2/3/2011

Meeting agenda

• FPLS Calendar 2011-12
• Building Issues
• Negotiations
• Building Communications
• New shirts
• Technology

OEA Bargaining Advisory

A Fact-Based Argument in support of Collective Bargaining and Teacher Salaries