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