OHIO — This year marks the 40th anniversary of when the law on collective bargaining was passed and implemented in the State of Ohio for public employees.

It’s something educators say has made a world of difference compared to other states who don’t have it.

What You Need To Know

  • Experts say collective bargaining has put employees on a more equal footing particularly in the field of education 
  • Advocates say elementary teachers, who were usually women, used to get paid on a lower scale than secondary teachers who primarily were men
  • Educators say collective bargaining provides protection, the ability to advocate collectively for issues that matter and social connection  

OEA President Scott DiMauro noted that prior to the collective bargaining law passing, strikes of all kinds were commonplace in Ohio during the 60s and 70s. That included teacher strikes.

“There were significant inequalities between people based on either race or gender or both," DiMauro said. “There has been no more powerful equalizing factor (since the law's passage) in teaching than the single salary schedule that has been bargained as a result of the negotiation process, and due to the advocacy that we've had in the legislature over decades.”

Over time, unions have also been able to address the need to improve their working conditions and boost their benefits. Compared to other states and those in the private sector, DiMauro said educators in Ohio earn 26% more in wages and get paid for extra work. A recent RAND study also showed that Ohio teachers receive pay increases that are twice as large.

David Grimes has been teaching for 10 years now and serves with his local union. 

“Whenever somebody has an issue, there's 120,000 other people right behind you," Grimes said.

Grateful for collective bargaining, he said he’s learned a lot along the way, but he is fully invested in continuing the work that collective bargaining opens the door for in education.

“There's a lot of push for social justice and we're doing a lot of internal professional development around how we can organize and engage the community to make up for those gaps that still exist," he said.

In the meantime, DiMauro said while a lot has been accomplished and many have benefitted, more work still needs to be done.

“Is the system perfect? No, do we still have a ways to go to ensure true equity across the board? Yeah, absolutely. But collective bargaining has done more than any other thing, to get us toward a place where we are more equal as a society, particularly as an education institution," DiMauro said.