4.28.08
Governor Strickland Joins UAW Local 683 to Honor Workers. Read more >>

4.14.08
SB 221 Veto
After weeks of holding up the bi-partisan Energy Bill (SB221), Speaker Husted and his band of Republican House loyalists have chosen the tired path of divisive politics. Speaker Husted has decided to go against the unanimously supported Senate bill, which many organizations including the Ohio AFL-CIO and the Ohio Manufacturers Association back, and instead fight for a more de-regulated approach which rewards the utility industry at the cost of job creation and stable consumer electricity rates. Read more>>

8.9.07
Organized labor moves voters
The Columbus Dispatch released the findings of a Quinipiac Poll that lists Organized Labor as the most influential of groups in persuading Ohio voters on which candidates to vote for.
Read more>>

7.31.07
USW's Caldwell Selected for BWC Board
Governor Strickland has put in place the new Bureau of Workers' Compensensation Executive Board and has appointed Dave Caldwell, Assistant Director, USW, District 1. Read more>>

7.24.07
Revitalizing Manufacturing: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity
Robert Baugh, Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council presented to the Ohio AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council. Read presentation>>

6.4.07
Lucas County Commissioners pass a resolution to support the Employee Free Choice Act on June 5th. Shown below: Commissioner Ben Konop, Commissioner Pete Gerken, Ron Coughenhour, Toledo Area Labor Council, Laura Faught, Northwest ALF Coordinator, Commission President Tina Skeldon Wosniak, and George Tucker, Exec. Secy. Treasurer, Toledo Area Labor Council. Click to read resolution >>

6.4.07
Prevailing Wage Settlement: Dann and Zurz recover nearly half a million dollars for Ohio workers who were underpaid - New Labor Relations Section of Ohio Attorney General to work closely with Commerce to enforce Ohio law
Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and Commerce Director Kim Zurz announce today the settlement of a major prevailing wage case. Read more>>

5.12.07
Governor Strickland Recognizes Workers' Memorial Day
145 Workers Were Killed on the Job in Ohio in 2006. Read more>>

4.27.07 - Executive Board Meeting
Joe Rugola was sworn in as President of the Ohio AFL-CIO, click here to read more. Marsha Ryan, BWC Administrator, spoke to the group about her new role.

4.10.07 - Ohio AFL-CIO President Stepping Down
William Burga, President of the Ohio AFL-CIO and the longest serving president of the state labor federation, will retire at the organization’s Executive Board meeting on April 27, 2007 it was announced today. Read more>>

3.31.07 - Congressman Tim Ryan was the special guest at the annual meeting of the Northeast Area Labor Federation and spoke on the importance of passing the Employee Free Choice Act. He is pictured above with ALF officers and AFL-CIO staff.

3.24.07 - Newly elected members of the Southwest Area Labor Federation
at IBEW Local 82, Dayton, Ohio.

Governor Selects BWC Administrator
On March 20 Governor Strickland announced that Marsha Ryan will be the new Administrator for the Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Read more>>

STATE OF THE STATE:
Governor Delivers Progressive Path Toward Change.
Governor Ted Strickland presented to the joint convention of the Ohio General Assembly a strong .message of establishing new state priorities. Read more>>

OHIO ARA
Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans now has an office and full time staff person in Ohio. Feel free to contact Norm Wernet at 614.224.8271 regarding Ohio ARA. Read more about Ohio ARA.

OHIO HEALTH CARE TRUST GAINS MOMENTUM
Effective April 1, 2007, employees and retirees of the Ohio AFL-CIO will have their medical, dental, vision and other benefits provided through the Ohio Health Care Trust that was established by the Ohio AFL-CIO with Executive Board approval. This program has AETNA Insurance Company providing the benefits, and because of the Ohio Health Care Trust design and governance, it provides a savings for the benefit coverage. Other unions are now looking at Ohio Health Care Trust for negotiations with their employer and for their employee coverage. The OHCT can design a package of full benefits or they can carve out medical only benefits in accordance with the needs of the party. This innovative program will save employers thousands of dollars because it is a not for profit operation. For further information, contact their office in Columbus at 800.968.9682 ext 383 and speak with Lana Lusher. Mark Hatch, formerly Policy Director for the OAPSE/AFSCME unions in Ohio is now the Executive Director for the parent organization (MEBS) and OHCT operations.

DISLOCATED WORKERS PROJECT
The Ohio AFL-CIO is preparing to develop a dislocated workers project with the assistance of Working for America Institute, an arm of the AFL-CIO. Bruce Wyngaard of OCSEA/AFSCME will spearhead the project for our State Federation, and there will be updated news announcements as the program progresses. Our first work is to apply for a Federal grant and to meet with Governor Strickland’s administration to determine what the state may be able to do.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ELDERLY
The Elderly Housing Development and Operations Corporation (EHDOC) has built an affordable housing project in Cleveland. Winpsinger Apartments, named after William Winpsinger, former president of the International Association of Machinists (IAM). The grand opening of these new housing units for the elderly was to take place on February 13, but was postponed due to weather conditions. EHDOC also operates the Mayfield Manor Apartments in Canton. Their units are always built with union labor and their organization fills a critical need for elderly citizens throughout the Country. Steve Protulis, formerly of the AFL-CIO and head of the National Council of Senior Citizens, is the Executive Director for EHDOC. The Ohio AFL-CIO supports their work and looks forward to expansion in the state of Ohio.

Governor Strickland Attends Executive Board Meeting
At the January 19, 2007 Executive Board meeting, Governor Ted Strickland made an appearance to receive our congratulations on his election victory and discuss issues that will be forthcoming in his administration. Governor Strickland thanked the unions of the AFL-CIO for the work we did to “Take Back Ohio” under the leadership of Joe Rugola, Chairman of the Task Force.

Executive Board Meeting - January 19, 2007
The Ohio AFL-CIO Executive Board is going to request that the Strickland administration have Ohio unions make recommendations for boards and commissions through the Ohio AFL-CIO.

Executive Board Meeting - January 19, 2007
President Burga announced the creation of a task force to focus on organizing new member and establishing more affiliations to the State Federation. Members of this new task force will be announced in the near future.
Read more>>