History of The Trust

The Union Benefits Trust offers dental, vision, life insurance benefits and the legal service plan to approximately 35,000 Union-represented State employees.

The Trust is the product of several years of work by the Unions serving State employees. OCSEA, the largest Union for Ohio’s State employees, established the Trust through collective bargaining in its 1992-1994 agreement with the State. The Unions believed that they could administer benefits more effectively and efficiently for Union-represented State employees, and the Trust today is proof of that belief.

On January 27, 1993, the Trust was born with the official signing of the Trust Agreement.

Setting policy benefiting members and administering the assets of the Trust are a few of the Trustees’ duties. The Trustees consist of representatives from the five Unions with the most State employees, and a representative of the State.

A full-time staff provides additional support to members. The staff offers professional assistance through expertise in benefits analysis, customer service and communication.

Together, the staff and the Trustees created a mission statement to guide the Trust.

Looking Ahead

Over the next few years, the Trust plans to:

Continue to focus on our customers and their needs
Explore the expansion of our market base
Expand communications to reach a greater percentage of members through emerging technology.
Increase member satisfaction with benefits as gauged through member input
Reinforce the identity of the Trust and supporting Unions.

The Trust will add new benefits or enhance existing benefits that meet the mission through the direction of the Trustees. For example, dental, vision and supplemental life insurance benefits were improved July 1, 2006, with enhancements such as: polycarbonate and progressive lenses covered in full (in network), increases to the maximums for orthodontia and annual limit in dental and the maximum amounts available for members and spouses in the supplemental life insurance plan. These changes meet the criteria of the mission, as they positively impact the members served by the Trust and their families.

Continuing to provide benefits and services that fulfill the mission statement may become more challenging in the next few years. Members face continual change at work and at home, as they work to meet the demands of society, employer and family. To help members, the Trust will stay focused on its core priorities, but will develop the flexibility to adapt to members’ changing needs. Serving members is the Trust’s business. And that won’t change.

For more information about the Union Benefits Trust or its benefits and services, contact the Trust.

Serving the Members

The Trust members are the 35,000 Union-represented State employees in: