Press

Educators and Staff at KIPP Columbus Charter School Petition for Union Recognition

Columbus, OH — Today, teachers and staff at the KIPP Columbus charter school called on their superintendent and board of directors to voluntarily recognize their union after they presented signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of teachers, paraprofessionals, intervention specialists, social workers, and student life coordinators. The organizing campaign is led by educators from all four schools (Primary, Elementary, Middle, and High) at the KIPP Columbus campus. MORE

Ohio Federation of Teachers, Innovation Ohio Host "Speak Out for Honesty in Education"

Today, Innovation Ohio and the Ohio Federation of Teachers co-hosted a virtual "speak out" against deceptive attacks on honesty in education which aim to prohibit schools from teaching accurate history about racism, sexism, prejudice, and other issues. Educators, parents, and allies spoke about the dangers of curriculum bans and urged Ohioans to stand for honest, accurate, diverse education in schools. MORE

Pickerington Public Library Workers Ratify First Union Contract

PICKERINGTON, OH — Librarians and other workers at Pickerington Public Library (PPL) voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first union contract. Members of the union, Pickerington Public Library United Staff (PPLUS), voted electronically throughout the last week. The PPL Board of Trustees voted to ratify the agreement during their Board meeting on Monday evening. The contract includes annual raises, longevity pay, additional paid leave, protection against unfair discipline, and a collaborative Labor-Management Committee.

DELAWARE, OHIO — A strong majority of staff at Delaware County District Library (DCDL) voted to form their union, Delaware County United Library Staff (DCULS), according to secret ballot election results released today by Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB). The results showed that 82% of valid ballots voted in favor of the union. The new union, which includes 85 librarians and library workers, is the sixth group of Ohio library workers – and the fifth in central Ohio – to successfully organize with the Ohio Federation of Teachers since 2021.

DELAWARE, OHIO — Today, an overwhelming majority of librarians and library workers at Delaware County District Library (DCDL) called on their Director and Board of Trustees to recognize their union.

“We love our libraries and many of us want to build long-term careers here,” said Kaleb Kramer, adult services specialist at the Liberty Branch Library. “That’s why we’re coming together to form our union so we can fight for a voice in decisions that affect our work and for improvements — like parental leave, equitable benefits for part-time workers, and wage increases — that will reduce turnover and improve workplace standards.”

Pickerington Public Library Workers Call for Union Recognition

We’re forming our union, Pickerington Public Library United Staff (PPLUS), because we want to make sure that we continue to have a strong and supportive work environment that will make PPL a place that everyone wants to work for,” said Grace Walker, a Youth Services Librarian at PPL. “We’re asking our library’s administration to respect the decision we collectively made and recognize our union.”

Grandview Heights Public Library Employees Launch Union Campaign

GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH — Today, staff at Grandview Heights Public Library (GHPL) called on their Director and Board of Trustees to voluntarily recognize their union. Copies of signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of library employees were delivered to management, while the originals were filed with the State Employee Relations Board (SERB) to request voluntary recognition of the union. MORE

Frontline Client-Facing Workers at Equitas Health Take Steps to Form Union

COLUMBUS — Today, frontline client-facing employees at Equitas Health, called on their management to voluntarily recognize their union after they presented signed union cards from a supermajority of staff who work in related job categories. The proposed bargaining unit covers approximately 150 social workers, counselors, therapists, advocates, case managers, and other employees who work in Equitas Health offices across Ohio. MORE

Ohio Federation of Teachers and Ohio Education Association Oppose Legislative Attack on Trans Students

“These bills -- HB 61 and SB 132 -- are not just a sports ban, this is part of a coordinated national attack on the safety and lives of trans students. As educators, we are speaking up because we know that our students don't thrive when they're not safe and healthy, and because every student deserves respect and equal opportunity."

Senate Budget Rewards Wealthiest, Punishes Public Schools

The All In For Ohio Kids (AOK) Coalition released the following statement: “The 23 Senators who voted for the budget chose to give a generous boost to the incomes of Ohio’s wealthiest residents. Yet they failed to provide the necessary resources to properly educate the 90% of students – about 1.6 million children – who attend our public schools. They figured out a way to give $600 million to a billionaire political donor for a football stadium, but abandoned the Fair School Funding Plan they promised would be fully implemented in this budget. The budget passed by the Ohio Senate is a betrayal of the bipartisan work that went into the creation of the Fair School Funding Plan, which requires lawmakers to include up-to-date costs and fully account for the needs of every child in every community. What the Senate passed this week is a cheap knock-off of the original Fair School Funding Plan.