Ohio public defenders win raises and new benefits in first contract
AFSCME members who protect the due process rights of Ohioans are celebrating their first union contract, winning pay raises, paid parental leave and better protections on the job.
The staff of the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office, located in the Dayton area, secured up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave, annual raises over the next three years, a formal promotions process, formal grievance and arbitration procedures, and more in their first-ever contract as Local 4652 (Ohio Council 8).
“I’m incredibly proud of our members for standing together to achieve our first collective bargaining agreement,” said Mike Dailey, an assistant public defender at MCPD. “This is an important step forward for the dedicated attorneys and staff who work every day to protect the rights of our clients.”
Known as the Montgomery County Public Defender Collective (MCPD Collective), the workers are dedicated to fairness, equity and defending the rights of Ohioans to a fair trial and due process.
They won their union in December 2024 to help protect those vital services to the community.
“We’ve built a strong foundation, but this is just the beginning,” Dailey said. “I hope our members continue to stand together, build on what we’ve accomplished, and make this union stronger for generations to come.”
The MCPD Collective joins other public defender offices who have organized with Ohio Council 8, including in Hamilton and Franklin counties.
