ELYRIA, Ohio — After five weeks of picketing, a workers’ union and Lorain County leaders say there’s no resolution in sight for a Job and Family Services strike.
The impasse remained Thursday, despite both sides meeting with a state mediator on Wednesday.
“We’re still out here. We’re still holding the line, still strong,” said Sia Markou.
The Lorain County JFS welfare caseworker previously talked with News 5 on day one of the workers’ strike.
“We will stand our ground until we can get a fair contract,” she said on Feb. 18.
READ MORE: Lorain County Job and Family Services employees go on strike
On Thursday, she said that sentiment has not changed.
Leaders from UAW Local 2192, the union representing JFS workers, said Wednesday’s mediation did little to change the circumstances.
“[I’m] a little bit disappointed. The union went in anticipating that we’d get a strike settlement. But we didn’t,” said Gina Jones, a JFS case worker and chairperson of the UAW bargaining unit.
Pay has been the primary sticking point in stalled contract negotiations.
The union said some of its members’ wages are low enough to qualify for the services they dispense at JFS. County leaders said Lorain County can’t afford anything above a “best and final” offer presented in February.
“All they have to do is give the workers $1 an hour extra and their retro pay. They can end all of this,” Jones said.
County Commissioner Dave Moore said a $1 pay raise would be unsustainable for the county as it slashes its budget to address an $11 million deficit.
“[It’s] not feasible. It sounds like a low number, but it’s not,” he said.
He claimed other departments and agencies have been more willing to make sacrifices as the county reins in spending.
“These contracts have been approved by other unions. They want more than what the other unions got. They can’t do that… because then the other unions are going to come back to the table and say, ‘We want more,’” Moore said.
Union leaders said they’re refusing to back down because of the low wages their members are currently earning.
Jones showed News 5 an impromptu pantry set up at the union hall. She said other unions and community members have donated food, toiletries and other supplies to help members living off of strike pay.
She said the strike pay is higher than some members’ normal paychecks and explained JFS had a similar pantry, stocked by coworkers, to cover what they could not afford.
“We knew that there was a need. A lot of our members are struggling to make ends meet,” she said.
Striking workers said it was further evidence that some JFS employees aren’t being paid livable wages.
“People are on assistance that are working for us. It shouldn’t be that way,” Markou said.
Both sides have filed unfair labor practices claims in the ongoing dispute. Following the failed mediation on Wednesday, Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB) will be investigating the claims.
Union leaders said that process could take months. Both sides said they’re holding their ground.
“We’re staying strong here. So we’re just hoping. We’re begging: ‘Commissioners, please just come to the table.’ That’s all we’re asking. Just come to the table and bargain with us,” Markou said.
Moore said, “What we’re doing is making it really short and sweet: there’s the contract.”
During the strike, JFS is open normal business hours. The executive director said the staff who are reporting to the office have been working overtime to process benefits.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
