Tag Archive for: Region 2B

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UAW BEHIND PUSH TO UNSEAT COMMISSIONER JEFF RIDDELL IN ELECTION

Today, outside the Lorain County Commissioner’s Offices, UAW Local 2192 members at Job and Family Services announced the launch of a major political operation that the Union will lead to oust vulnerable Commissioner Jeff Riddell in his re-election bid this November.
After defeating his primary opponent by just 18 votes in May, Commissioner Riddell enters the general election as a vulnerable incumbent. That creates an opportunity for the UAW’s large-scale political operation to take on one of Lorain County’s most vocal opponents of JFS workers and their strike.
“We have held the line, and we are not going to watch our county’s public services deteriorate while our elected officials refuse to do their jobs,” said UAW Local 2192 Bargaining Chairperson Gina Jones. “If the Commissioners elected to run the county will not solve this crisis, then the people of Lorain County will demand change at the ballot box.”
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UAW Puts Muscle Behind Push to Unseat Vulnerable Lorain County Commissioner Jeff Riddell in Upcoming General Election

Today, outside the Lorain County Commissioner’s Offices, UAW Local 2192 members at Job and Family Services announced the launch of a major political operation that the Union will lead to oust vulnerable Commissioner Jeff Riddell in his re-election bid this November.

After defeating his primary opponent by just 18 votes in May, Commissioner Riddell enters the general election as a vulnerable incumbent. That creates an opportunity for the UAW’s large-scale political operation to take on one of Lorain County’s most vocal opponents of JFS workers and their strike.

“We have held the line, and we are not going to watch our county’s public services deteriorate while our elected officials refuse to do their jobs,” said UAW Local 2192 Bargaining Chairperson Gina Jones. “If the Commissioners elected to run the county will not solve this crisis, then the people of Lorain County will demand change at the ballot box.”

The UAW is planning to run the largest voter canvassing program in Lorain County alongside area labor partners, where UAW members will be talking to Republicans, Independents, and Democrats in Lorain County several times a week.

The operation will involve knocking on tens of thousands of doors and making phone calls to UAW families and neighbors – including both other UAW members, and members of union households. Between now and November’s Election Day, the Union is planning several statewide “days of action,” where hundreds of UAW members from across Ohio will come to Lorain County to knock on doors for the Commissioners’ race.

“It’s safe to say that we have a plan to knock on every single union door in Lorain County to tell them that Commissioner Jeff Riddell needs to go,” said Jones. 

While the UAW plans to talk with voters about its endorsed candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, and Congress, it will also dedicate significant resources to the Lorain County commissioner race, including literature, canvassers, digital communications, and more.

“We’ve done our part offering an olive branch time and time again, as the Commissioners outright refused to even meet,” said UAW Region 2B Director David Green. “Meanwhile, the service crisis that JFS workers have been warning about is becoming more visible to everyone because the Commissioners are too stubborn to resolve the retention and staffing crisis in their own workforce.”

The UAW’s endorsed candidate against Commissioner Jeff Riddell is Carolyn White, an experienced public servant who has already shown a willingness with listening to working-class people in the County, unlike current Commissioners like Riddell and David Moore. While White is a Democrat challenging the Republican Riddell, Lorain County is the only County in Ohio that voted for both Sherrod Brown and Donald Trump in 2024.

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Tick, Tock: UAW Puts Lorain County Commissioners on Notice in Statement on Six Months Milestone for Job and Family Services Strike

Six months ago today, UAW Local 2192 members at Lorain County Job and Family Services walked out on strike. Lorain County Job and Family Services is now the site of the longest public sector strike in the history of Ohio. But UAW Local 2192 members knew what they were taking on by choosing to go on strike. They also knew that they did not have any other choice if they wanted to solve the retention crisis and maintain quality services for Lorain County residents. Now, they are putting the Commissioners on notice of a significant escalation if the Union’s calls for talks continue to be ignored.

Background
After months of negotiations — and working under an expired contract — County Commissioners showed no interest in bargaining in good faith. UAW Local 2192 members were done living a life in which they had to skip meals and enroll their own children in programs they helped administer for other families in need. Their collective frustrations built a powerful foundation to take on a staffing crisis, a retention crisis, and a leadership crisis affecting more than their jobs in Lorain County.

Since then, the Commissioners have chosen to disregard the state’s fact-finding process and fight their own workforce instead of solving the problem, and their inaction has forced residents to pay the price as critical service failures mount. Nevertheless, the Union has repeatedly called for good-faith negotiations and compromise between the parties for the good of Lorain County.

What’s at Stake
Six months later, JFS workers remain steadfast in their resolve, but the community’s frustration with the County Commissioners has only intensified—particularly since the strike started on February 18—whether over the JFS strike or the broader chaos at the County.

Many County residents are in limbo trying to fill needed prescriptions. Nursing home residents are not getting reimbursements processed. The county health system is under strain, and elder abuse investigations are falling behind.

What’s Next
What the County Commissioners seemed to have failed to consider themselves is the resilience of this UAW Local in Ohio. But it is right there in the name: U-A-W.

UAW Local 2192’s fight has the full backing of the International UAW, from its organizing and bargaining strategies department to its political arm, all the way to the President’s office.

JFS workers hear their clients’ pleas for a settlement, even if the Commissioners pretend not to.

On Tuesday, August 25, Local 2192 members will hold a rally at the Lorain County Administration Building in Elyria to announce their next steps in their campaign for a better life.

WHO:  UAW Local 2192 members at Lorain County Job and Family Services
WHAT:  Rally to announce next steps in JFS strike
WHERE: Lorain County Administration Building, 226 Middle Ave, Elyria, OH 44035
WHEN:  Tuesday, August 25 at 1:30 p.m.

Tick, tock: the clock is now ticking on Lorain County Commissioners. One way or another, the working people of Lorain County will have their voices heard. The Union and the community want a fair settlement. It is up to the County Commissioners to resolve this crisis before the next steps.

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UAW Members at Allison Off-Highway in Lafayette, Indiana, to Hold Strike Authorization Vote Ahead of Contract Deadline

Members of UAW Local 2317 who build drivetrains and custom gearing for Allison Off-Highway in Lafayette, Indiana will be holding a strike authorization vote and solidarity rally on Thursday, May 21st, ahead of their contract expiration on May 22nd. The workers are fighting for cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), affordable healthcare, and fair wages at the multibillion-dollar supplier.

In a new video, members of UAW Local 2317 speak out about their fight for a fair contract. In January, Allison Transmission purchased the facility from Dana Incorporated for $2.7 billion. Allison has made $7.7 billion in profits over the past decade and has spent more than half of that on stock buybacks and dividends.

“Our hardworking members have generated massive value for this company,” said UAW Region 2B Director David Green. “If there’s money for Wall Street, there sure as hell is money for the workers that make the product day in and day out. The International UAW has Local 2317’s back every step of the way.”

“Allison is making a lot of money. So why aren’t we?” say Allison Off-Highway workers in a new video. “We’re fighting for our slice of the pie. A decent wage, cost of living adjustments, healthcare we can afford, and real job security. Our contract expires on May 22nd, and we’re ready to fight for what’s right.”

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UAW Members Call on Trump Administration to Save Iconic Ohio Plant from Being Offshored to China

The UAW is calling on the Trump Administration to intervene in the closure of an iconic brass instrument plant which is facing an imminent threat of offshoring to China, destroying 150 good union jobs in Ohio.

In a letter to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, UAW President Shawn Fain, UAW Region 2B Director David Green, and UAW Local 2359 President Robert Hines call on the Administration to include brass musical instruments under the broader Section 232 tariffs on copper imports.

“Workers in Eastlake, Ohio have produced brass musical instruments for over 60 years. They have done their jobs, producing world-class products, winning a union contract with family-sustaining wages, and building the company into America’s largest in the sector. Now, it is time for the federal government to do its job, by protecting our jobs, signaling to blue-collar workers across the country that their jobs will be safe too, and penalizing companies for attempting to offshore our jobs and decimate our communities,” write the UAW leaders. “The Commerce Department has the power to immediately halt the offshoring of jobs at Conn-Selmer by making the company, and its billionaire owner, pay a price for leaving Eastlake behind. Brass musical instruments must be included as derivate products within the scope of the section 232 tariffs on copper imports.”

In January – on what was supposed to be day one of the latest contract negotiations between Conn-Selmer and UAW Local 2359 members – the last, USA-made brass instrument brand, informed workers that it is shutting down its Ohio facility and offshoring almost all its Eastlake operations overseas to China.

Decades of an Ohio mainstay and 150 good, union jobs suddenly became on the chopping block because billionaire hedge fund owner John Paulson decided to lead with corporate greed over preserving an American institution – and American manufacturing.

Read the full letter here.

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Amid Slashed Services and Striking Workers, Six-Figure Salary Administration Positions in Lorain County Triple Since 2021

The number of administration positions earning $100,000 or more in salary at Lorain County has tripled since 2021, according to recently released Lorain County Auditor data. As reported by the County Auditor payroll data released this year, the number of administrative positions at Lorain County earning over six-figures spiked from 55 in 2021 to 174 in 2025 – with the $20.3 million spent on these six-figure payrolls representing nearly a quarter of the County’s entire $89 million operating budget last year alone.

The added positions at these high payouts – which do not figure in health care coverage, pension contributions, or paid time off accruals – are surging as County Commissioners slash public services, claiming an $11 million budget deficit, and refuse to bargain with workers on strike at Job and Family Services over a $1 per hour supplemental wage increase aimed at addressing a severe retention and service crisis. Meanwhile, as these administrative payrolls ballooned, County Commissioners have directed $67 million in County capital funds to a controversial “Megasite” economic development project.

“The County Commissioners have blown up the budget on six-figure administrative salaries but won’t resolve a strike with the frontline workers who actually deliver services,” said UAW Local 2192 Chairperson Gina Jones, a case worker on strike at JFS. “We know we have the community on our side in our outrage at the County’s mismanaged priorities and refusal to settle for $1 per hour.”

The cost to settle the JFS strike, a $1 per hour supplemental wage increase that Commissioners have refused to negotiate, would total approximately $299,520 annually. That figure represents less than 1.5% of what the County spent on six-figure administrative salaries in 2025. The growth in administrative wages between 2024 and 2025 alone – approximately $2.6 million – is nearly nine times the cost of settling the JFS strike.

All salary figures are drawn from Lorain County Auditor payroll data released in 2026. Figures reflect base payments only and do not include benefits.

No Deal Yet: Lorain County Job & Family Services Strike Drags Past Two Months

Lorain County Commissioners are putting residents at risk by prolonging the Job & Family Services workers’ strike. The ball is in your court, Commissioners. Get back to the table, negotiate a fair contract, and settle the strike!

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As Job and Family Services Continue Months-Long Strike, UAW Local 2192 Members at Lorain County Children Services Ratify New Contract, Breaking County “Pattern”

Today, as Lorain County Job and Family Services workers remain on strike going over two months, County Commissioners voted to accept a new contract agreement with members of the same UAW Local – UAW Local 2192 at Lorain County Children Services (LCCS) – in a deal that surpasses the Commissioners’ standard “pattern.”

“This is a victory that demonstrates what workers can achieve when they stand strong at the bargaining table,” said UAW Region 2B Director David Green. “Unfortunately, their siblings at Job and Family Services can’t get a fair deal. County Commissioners like Jeff Riddell are refusing to even come to the table and bargain in good faith with UAW Local 2192 members at JFS.”

On April 20, UAW Local 2192 members at LCCS who investigate reports of child abuse, neglect, and dependency to ensure the safety and well-being of Lorain County’s most vulnerable children, voted to ratify the three-year deal, which runs retroactive to January 1, 2026.

County Commissioners attempted to force a “pattern” regarding the General Wage Increases (GWI), which would have held raises to a predetermined 4.5%/3.5%/4% over the course of the contract. But with the County having shifted healthcare costs onto the workers amid historic inflation, UAW Local 2192 members held strong to secure GWI of 4.5%/5.5%/2% — a better deal that puts more money in workers’ pockets now when they need it most.

“When we stand strong, we negotiate from a position of strength,” added Director Green. “When we hold the line, we win.”

In addition to having wage increases front-loaded in the course of the contract, workers secured other gains such as an extra personal day off. To help offset the hazards that caseworkers face using personal vehicles in the field, the new contract includes $400 more in health and safety auto costs. And, in recognition of the dedication and institutional knowledge of long-tenured employees, support staff with ten or more years will receive another 2% retention supplement.

UAW Local 2192 members at JFS will continue to hold the line until the County decides to come back to the table to negotiate a fair deal as they did for their counterparts at Children Services.

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Striking Lorain County Job and Family Services Workers Escalate Call on Commissioners to Settle Labor Crisis as Critical Public Services Remain at Risk

After over a month on strike, UAW Local 2192 members at Lorain County Jobs and Family Services are escalating their call on the County Commissioners to settle the growing labor crisis triggered by the Commissioners’ unprecedented move to reject a neutral fact-finder’s report and illegal refusal to meet at the table, which has left critical public services at risk.

On Wednesday, March 25, workers will meet with County Commissioners for the first time since going on strike in a state-mandated mediation relating to the unfair labor practice charges filed by UAW Local 2192 members after County Commissioners illegally refused to bargain. Ohio law requires both parties to meet and work through their differences in good faith to keep public services up and running for the taxpayers, a goal the Union has strived for from the beginning despite the County’s continuous pushback.

One day before the scheduled mediation, on Tuesday, March 24, workers will once again take to the County Commissioners’ Board meeting, an action that dozens of JFS workers have taken at recent meetings since the strike began on February 18.

“We are entering March 25’s mediation with one goal: to get back to the table for the residents that rely on our vital services,” said Gina Jones, Chairperson for UAW Local 2192. “This is an opportunity for the County Commission to settle this crisis. JFS workers want to be back at work serving the people of Lorain County, but they can’t do that if they can’t even afford to feed their own families. All we’re asking for is $1.00 per hour raises.”

Since February 18, 120 workers – who manage elder abuse investigations, home daycare inspections, and SNAP and Medicaid support – have held picket lines outside the JFS building every day, with additional picket lines added outside the County Administration Building. Throughout the strike, Commissioners have publicly refused to return to the negotiating table, as workers continue to mobilize and speak out at County Commissioner Board meetings.

On February 24, JFS workers filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges against the County for refusing to bargain in good faith. Ohio law requires both parties to meet and work through their differences in good faith to keep public services up and running, a goal the Union has strived for from the beginning despite the County’s continuous pushback.

The workers’ remaining demand is a one dollar per hour wage adjustment to bring workers closer to the pay levels of comparable Ohio counties. The cost would total $290,000, far less than the Commissioners’ salaries, or the millions of dollars the Commission has added in dozens of new administrative positions straining the County General Revenue Fund over the past five years. JFS operations are primarily funded through state and federal pass-through dollars, not the County General Fund.

Given the nature of the crucial public services JFS workers perform, the County’s illegal refusal to bargain and misplaced priorities have created not just a workforce crisis but have pushed Lorain County to the brink of a public service crisis. While average wages for Lorain JFS workers trail nearly all Ohio counties, County Commissioners increased worker healthcare costs by 50% – leading to a crisis where 90 out of 140 positions at JFS have seen employee turnover in just the past five years.

These issues come alongside the County’s clumsy decision-making which nearly led to the repossession of police vehicles, and to the County Auditor claiming retaliation from the Commissioners after he refused illegal requests, among other blunders. County Commissioners are also up against universal opposition from local organizations, community members, and even newspaper editorial boards as they force an unpopular “megasite” development forward.

Meanwhile, as County Commissioners deny JFS workers a fair contract that addresses staffing shortages, recruitment, and excessively high turnover challenges – they have no issue with increasing six-figure management positions by 142% in the same period (growing from 65 to 157 positions making over $100,000).

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Lorain County Job and Family Services Workers Hit One-Month Strike Milestone, Call on Commissioners to Get Back to Table Ahead of Mediation Next Week

On Wednesday, March 18, UAW Local 2192 members at Lorain County Job and Family Services marked one month on strike. The strike was provoked by the Lorain County Commissioners’ refusal to negotiate in good faith after rejecting a neutral fact-finder’s report, which has put critical public services at risk.

Workers will meet with County Commissioners on Wednesday, March 25 for the first time since going on strike, in a state-mandated mediation regarding unfair labor practice charges filed by UAW Local 2192 members after County Commissioners illegally refused to bargain.

“We are entering March 25’s mediation with one goal: to get back to the table for the residents that rely on our vital services,” said Gina Jones, UAW Local 2192 Chairperson and case worker at Lorain County JFS. “This is an opportunity for the County Commission to settle this crisis. JFS workers want to be back at work serving the people of Lorain County, but they can’t do that if they can’t even afford to feed their own families. All we’re asking for is a one dollar per hour raise.”

Since February 18, 140 workers – who manage elder abuse investigations, home daycare inspections, and SNAP and Medicaid support – have held picket lines outside the JFS building every day, with additional picket lines added outside the County Administration Building. Throughout the strike, Commissioners have refused to return to the negotiating table, as workers continue to mobilize and speak out at County Commissioner Board meetings.

On February 24, JFS workers filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges against the County for refusing to bargain in good faith. Ohio law requires both parties to meet and work through their differences in good faith to keep public services up and running, a goal the Union has strived for from the beginning despite the County’s continuous pushback.

The workers’ remaining demand is a one dollar per hour wage adjustment to bring workers closer to the pay levels of comparable Ohio counties. JFS operations are primarily funded through state and federal pass-through dollars, meaning the proposed one-dollar adjustment would cost the County’s General Fund nothing.

Given the nature of the crucial public services JFS workers perform, the County’s illegal refusal to bargain and misplaced priorities have created not just a workforce crisis but have pushed Lorain County to the brink of a public service crisis. While average wages for Lorain JFS workers trail nearly all Ohio counties, County Commissioners increased worker healthcare costs by 50% – leading to a crisis where 90 out of 140 positions at JFS have seen employee turnover in just the past five years.

These issues come alongside the County’s clumsy decision-making nearly led to the repossession of police vehicles, and to the County Auditor claiming retaliation from the Commissioners after he refused illegal requests, among other blunders. County Commissioners are also up against universal opposition from local organizations, community members, and even newspaper editorial boards as they force an unpopular “megasite” development forward.

Meanwhile, as County Commissioners deny JFS workers a fair contract that addresses staffing shortages, recruitment, and excessively high turnover challenges – they have no issue with increasing six-figure management positions by 142% in the same period (growing from 65 to 157 positions making over $100,000).

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