Municipal workers in Upper Sandusky, Ohio — located roughly halfway between Toledo and Columbus — recently reached a major milestone, ratifying their first collective bargaining agreement with the city following more than a year of negotiations.
The 14-member unit — representing the city’s water, wastewater, street, and sanitation departments — ratified the agreement on March 21. Upper Sandusky City Council formally approved the contract on April 6. The three-year agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1, and the members are now represented by UWUA Local G-555.
The agreement caps a process that began roughly two years ago, when workers first organized in response to concerns over a lack of input in workplace decisions.
“We wanted a seat at the table,” said negotiating committee member Brian Gottfried. “Policies were being changed and decisions were being made without any input from us.”
Gottfried, Michael Noyes, and Mark Nutter served on the bargaining committee, with support from Local G-555 and UWUA Senior National Representative Frank Meznarich.
As is often the case with first contracts, negotiations were complex and required compromise. City employees participate in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System. When the city sought to change how pension costs are shared, the bargaining team secured wage increases that kept members ahead — turning a unilateral cost shift the city was prepared to impose into a negotiated outcome that delivered real raises.
The contract also addressed longstanding concerns around required licenses. Employees must maintain certifications — all workers are required to hold commercial driver’s licenses, and many hold specialized water and wastewater licenses — to perform their jobs. Under the new agreement, the city will continue to pay hourly premiums for certifications and will now reimburse workers for license renewals.
For Gottfried and his coworkers, the contract represents more than economic gains — it establishes a formal voice in future decisions.
“It’s a big step forward for us,” he said.
Caption: Upper Sandusky bargaining committee members, from left: Mark Nutter, Michael Noyes and Brian Gottfried.