July was a remarkable month for Ohio as the state saw a significant surge in union opt-outs. The number of individuals deciding to reclaim their freedom from union dues increased by an astonishing 145 percent compared to the previous month.

This dramatic rise occurred with the cumulation of targeted outreach campaigns to three Ohio unions.

The most significant opt-outs were observed among members of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE), the Ohio Education Association (OEA), and the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA).

These unions saw the highest number of members choosing to leave, highlighting a notable shift in worker sentiment within these organizations.

OAPSE and OEA are the two largest unions in Ohio representing teachers and other public school employees. They also have two of the narrowest opt-out window policies in the state in order to try and force the members they represent to pay their hard-earned money to an organization that doesn’t fight for their beliefs.

OAPSE, for example, holds a one-week period in which its members can stop payroll deductions from their salaries.

An organization that makes it so hard for their members to leave on purpose must fear that their services are so poor that the only way they can keep members would be to make it as challenging as possible to leave.

However, with the dedication of the outreach staff more than 150 teachers and public school employees will be able to keep their hard earned money just in the month of July alone.