Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the recent first contract ratification at Equitas Health in Ohio. Cropper also spoke about an ongoing organizing campaign that is beginning its union election process, and a research group focusing on improving Teacher’s workplace stress.
Equitas Health, its 12 Ohio locations, and the OFT have worked for a year and a half to negotiate their first contract. Finally, there has been a ratification, which Cropper said received more votes than the original vote to unionize with 96 percent approval. The contract comes just before a new CEO Equitas on May 1. She also talked about how this date reaffirmed the need to get a contract figured out before the new leader took over. Cropper outlined several of the contract stipulations that were crucial to the workers.
At the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, there have been three library systems in Central Ohio organized under the OFT. The Upper Arlington Public Library campaign is currently in the mail-in voting process for the union election and hopes this will become the fourth library system to join the OFT in recent months. Cropper talked about the difficulties with the library’s administration and their union-busting tactics. She spoke of the workers' solidarity and how the anti-union efforts from the administration only reinforced the workers' desires to join the union.
Finally, Cropper discussed research study focused on the personal development of teachers and leaders in school systems nationwide. The study found that burnout is a significant issue for educators. The group that performed the analysis, Educators Thriving, works with school districts around the country to improve teacher wellness. The American Federation of Teachers has worked with this group to identify reasons behind retention and other staffing issues. Cropper discussed the work the OFT has been doing with the organization and how to improve the way teachers deal with workplace stress.
For more information on the organizing successes of the OFT through 2024, listen to the show above.