OCSEA and AFSCME are encouraging all members, particularly those who would be impacted in ODJFS, to contact their representatives in Congress NOW and ask that they support Congressional action to prevent the privatization of Employment Services (ES).

The U.S. Dept. of Labor is, again, proposing to revise the operations of State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) funded through the Wagner-Peyser Act to remove the state employee “merit staffing” requirement of the Employment Service (ES). This move would open the door widely for privatization and the erosion of job-seeker services provided by the Ohio Dept. of Job and Family Services federally-funded employment services staff right here in Ohio.

This dangerous proposal would eliminate good Ohio jobs and contract out employment services for less pay and inferior benefits; reduce services for Ohio’s unemployed workers and weaken connections for those job-seekers; result in an inferior employment services system; and open the door for the privatization of all other federally-funded programs.

TAKE ACTION NOW by writing to your members of Congress.