Ohio Federation of Teachers
Encyclopedia
The Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) is a statewide federation of unions in Ohio
, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers
(AFT), AFL-CIO
.
The OFT represents more than 20,000 members in 54 local unions. Its members include public education employees, higher education faculty and support staff, and public employees. Most of its membership is in the larger cities, such as Cincinnati
, Cleveland
and Toledo
.
. The AFT was debating structural changes to the national organization, and had decided to experiment with state federations as legislative, lobbying, political and organizing umbrella bodies for the union's growing number of local affiliates. Ohio was selected to be the first test case.
On May 26, 1934, the Ohio State Federation of Teachers (as the OFT was originally known) met in convention was in Springfield. Irvin Kuenzli, president of the Springfield Federation of Teachers, was elected the organization's first president. (Kuenzli would become the AFT's secretary-treasurer from 1936 to 1953.) The state federation's office was in Toledo.
Whether the OFT was the first "official" state federation within the AFT is a matter of debate. In 1936, the OFT established a dues system for local affiliates, becoming the first self-funding, staffed state federation in the AFT. However, the OFT was not formally chartered by AFT until February 26, 1938—after charters were issued in Wisconsin
, Minnesota
and Pennsylvania
. But the unofficial establishment date, along with the establishment of a dues structure, has led the OFT to claim to be the first "active" state federation in the AFT.
With Kuenzli's departure in 1936, E. Glenn Baxter of the Elyria Federation of Teachers became OFT president, and the first president elected under the new charter. Michael Eck of the Cleveland Teachers Union was the first executive secretary (he also served as an AFT vice president).
At this time, the OFT had 5,000 members in 13 locals. Since the AFT only had 25,000 members nationally, one in five AFT members belonged to OFT.
The OFT focused on legislative activity (primarily increased funding for public schools) and organizing new locals in its first three decades.
(WPA) vocational educational training programs. When Congress ended funding for the WPA in 1943, these locals disbanded.
Beginning in 1939 and lasting throughout the 1940s, the OFT struggled with whether to affiliate with the Ohio Education Association
(OEA), the state affiliate of the National Education Association
(NEA). At the time, the AFT did not require that its local unions affiliate only with the AFT
. Nor did the AFT require that its locals affiliate with the OFT or state and local American Federation of Labor
bodies. Several AFT locals in Ohio remained affiliated with both the AFT and NEA, and formed an "AFT caucus" within the OEA. Over time, however, the OEA's conservative stands on tenure, increased funding for public schools, and collective bargaining led AFT affiliates in Ohio to drop their dual affiliation.
In 1965, OFT hired its first organizer and moved its offices to Columbus.
In 1966, OFT hired the first staff to provide services (such as contract negotiations, research, grievance processing, etc.) to local affiliates.
The energy and militancy engendered in the teacher union movement in the United States by the formation of the United Federation of Teachers
spread quickly to Ohio. Between 1965 and 1967, the OFT chartered 21 new local unions. But since no state, county, local or school district law or regulation permitted collective bargaining, locals struggled for survival; many disbanded after only a short time.
In 1968, AFT convention delegates passed an amendment to the union's national constitution requiring locals to affiliate with their respective state federations. In 1969, the AFT convention passed an amendment to require local unions to affiliate with their respective state and local AFL-CIO bodies.
In 1976, the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
won passage of a collective bargaining law for teachers and paraprofessionals in the Cincinnati public schools. The success of this endeavor led the OFT to begin a campaign for collective bargaining for all public employees.
In 1979, the OFT made the office of the president a full-time position.
In the 1980s, as part of a national policy adopted by the AFT, the OFT began raiding established teacher locals to build its membership. The OFT targeted OEA and independent education unions which had achieved collective bargaining (either by reaching a contract or through adoption of local law or ordinance). It forced a new collective bargaining election or created an insurgency which would seize control of the union's governing body and push through an affiliation change.
The results were dramatic. In 1978, only six of the OFT's 41 local affiliates had a collective bargaining agreement. But by 1988—despite the loss of several affiliates to the OEA or through disbanding—30 of the OFT's affiliates had such a relationship (and 12 of those were raided locals).
The increased flow of dues stabilized the OFT financially and organizationally, permitting it to grow. The OFT began organizing school paraprofessionals, higher education faculty and support personnel, and public employees in an effort to achieve greater financial stability.
OFT was instrumental in winning passage of Ohio's Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act in 1984. An explosion of education organizing occurred statewide. Although OEA and OFT often competed in these organizing elections, raiding between the two unions largely ceased (and was prohibited by an AFT-NEA "no-raid" agreement in 1998).
In 2000, Marec retired as OFT president. Tom Mooney
, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, was elected as his replacement.
On December 3, 2006, Mooney died of a heart attack at his home in Columbus. Sue Taylor, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
, was elected president on March 9, 2007, to fill out his term.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals...
(AFT), AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
.
The OFT represents more than 20,000 members in 54 local unions. Its members include public education employees, higher education faculty and support staff, and public employees. Most of its membership is in the larger cities, such as Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
.
Founding
In 1933, the officers of the American Federation of Teachers met in Springfield, OhioSpringfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
. The AFT was debating structural changes to the national organization, and had decided to experiment with state federations as legislative, lobbying, political and organizing umbrella bodies for the union's growing number of local affiliates. Ohio was selected to be the first test case.
On May 26, 1934, the Ohio State Federation of Teachers (as the OFT was originally known) met in convention was in Springfield. Irvin Kuenzli, president of the Springfield Federation of Teachers, was elected the organization's first president. (Kuenzli would become the AFT's secretary-treasurer from 1936 to 1953.) The state federation's office was in Toledo.
Whether the OFT was the first "official" state federation within the AFT is a matter of debate. In 1936, the OFT established a dues system for local affiliates, becoming the first self-funding, staffed state federation in the AFT. However, the OFT was not formally chartered by AFT until February 26, 1938—after charters were issued in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. But the unofficial establishment date, along with the establishment of a dues structure, has led the OFT to claim to be the first "active" state federation in the AFT.
With Kuenzli's departure in 1936, E. Glenn Baxter of the Elyria Federation of Teachers became OFT president, and the first president elected under the new charter. Michael Eck of the Cleveland Teachers Union was the first executive secretary (he also served as an AFT vice president).
At this time, the OFT had 5,000 members in 13 locals. Since the AFT only had 25,000 members nationally, one in five AFT members belonged to OFT.
The OFT focused on legislative activity (primarily increased funding for public schools) and organizing new locals in its first three decades.
Growth
Between 1936 and 1939, the OFT added 1,000 members in 13 new locals. Six locals were formed to represent educators in federally-funded Works Progress AdministrationWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA) vocational educational training programs. When Congress ended funding for the WPA in 1943, these locals disbanded.
Beginning in 1939 and lasting throughout the 1940s, the OFT struggled with whether to affiliate with the Ohio Education Association
Ohio Education Association
OEA is the largest teacher organization in the state of Ohio representing more than 131,000 teachers, educational support professionals, counselors, curriculum specialists, librarians, health care workers, school nurses, school psychologists, vocational-technical instructors, higher education,...
(OEA), the state affiliate of the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
(NEA). At the time, the AFT did not require that its local unions affiliate only with the AFT
Dual unionism
Dual unionism is the development of a union or political organization parallel to and within an existing labor union. In some cases, the term may refer to the situation where two unions claim the right to organize the same workers....
. Nor did the AFT require that its locals affiliate with the OFT or state and local American Federation of Labor
American Federation of Labor
The American Federation of Labor was one of the first federations of labor unions in the United States. It was founded in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions disaffected from the Knights of Labor, a national labor association. Samuel Gompers was elected president of the Federation at its...
bodies. Several AFT locals in Ohio remained affiliated with both the AFT and NEA, and formed an "AFT caucus" within the OEA. Over time, however, the OEA's conservative stands on tenure, increased funding for public schools, and collective bargaining led AFT affiliates in Ohio to drop their dual affiliation.
In 1965, OFT hired its first organizer and moved its offices to Columbus.
In 1966, OFT hired the first staff to provide services (such as contract negotiations, research, grievance processing, etc.) to local affiliates.
The energy and militancy engendered in the teacher union movement in the United States by the formation of the United Federation of Teachers
United Federation of Teachers
The United Federation of Teachers is the labor union that represents most educators in New York City public schools. , there were about 118,000 in-service educators and 17,000 paraprofessionals in the union, as well as about 54,000 retired members...
spread quickly to Ohio. Between 1965 and 1967, the OFT chartered 21 new local unions. But since no state, county, local or school district law or regulation permitted collective bargaining, locals struggled for survival; many disbanded after only a short time.
In 1968, AFT convention delegates passed an amendment to the union's national constitution requiring locals to affiliate with their respective state federations. In 1969, the AFT convention passed an amendment to require local unions to affiliate with their respective state and local AFL-CIO bodies.
Achievement of collective bargaining
In 1978, OFT president Ron Marec was elected one of the vice presidents of the Ohio AFL-CIO. He was the first AFT member chosen to serve on the state AFL-CIO's executive board.In 1976, the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers is a labor union representing teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel and others in the Cincinnati public school system...
won passage of a collective bargaining law for teachers and paraprofessionals in the Cincinnati public schools. The success of this endeavor led the OFT to begin a campaign for collective bargaining for all public employees.
In 1979, the OFT made the office of the president a full-time position.
In the 1980s, as part of a national policy adopted by the AFT, the OFT began raiding established teacher locals to build its membership. The OFT targeted OEA and independent education unions which had achieved collective bargaining (either by reaching a contract or through adoption of local law or ordinance). It forced a new collective bargaining election or created an insurgency which would seize control of the union's governing body and push through an affiliation change.
The results were dramatic. In 1978, only six of the OFT's 41 local affiliates had a collective bargaining agreement. But by 1988—despite the loss of several affiliates to the OEA or through disbanding—30 of the OFT's affiliates had such a relationship (and 12 of those were raided locals).
The increased flow of dues stabilized the OFT financially and organizationally, permitting it to grow. The OFT began organizing school paraprofessionals, higher education faculty and support personnel, and public employees in an effort to achieve greater financial stability.
OFT was instrumental in winning passage of Ohio's Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act in 1984. An explosion of education organizing occurred statewide. Although OEA and OFT often competed in these organizing elections, raiding between the two unions largely ceased (and was prohibited by an AFT-NEA "no-raid" agreement in 1998).
In 2000, Marec retired as OFT president. Tom Mooney
Tom Mooney (educator)
Tom Mooney was an American and public school teacher.-Early life:Mooney grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated with a bachelor's degree from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1974.-Family:...
, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, was elected as his replacement.
On December 3, 2006, Mooney died of a heart attack at his home in Columbus. Sue Taylor, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
Cincinnati Federation of Teachers
The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers is a labor union representing teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel and others in the Cincinnati public school system...
, was elected president on March 9, 2007, to fill out his term.