Members of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE)’s Local 390 are standing strong and united after being forced to go on strike last Friday.
The 84 strikers have been working at Claymont City Schools without a contract for 22 months. They have been in mediation, trying to get a new agreement.
But management delivered an unacceptable last/best offer on Thursday, and Local 390 members had no choice but to strike. They are walking the picket line for fairness in wages and insurance, among other issues.
Local 390 President Jim Maxwell and the local’s members – who won’t be paid and won’t receive benefits for the duration of the strike – are determined to win justice and are thankful for the community’s support and solidarity.
“This is about basic fairness and about showing management that we are serious about standing up for ourselves,” Maxwell said. “We provide critical services to the students at Claymont City Schools and we should have the decent wages and benefits that reflect that hard work and dedication.”
(Contributing: Lisa Martin)