{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Public Education Matters","title":"Finding their voice: How ACCESS emerged from a bargaining crisis stronger than ever","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1727,"description":"When the Association for Cuyahoga County Employees for Special Students (ACCESS) sat down at the bargaining table a few years ago, they were told, 'if you don't like it here, you can leave.' In that moment, ACCESS leaders said, 'if we don't like it here, we can make it better.' And that's what they did - nearly going out on strike to achieve those critically important gains in their contract. In this episode, we hear from ACCESS Co-President Ky Theophanous about his journey to leadership, that 2023 bargaining crisis, and how it brought the members of his local association together to better advocate for themselves and for the individuals they serve through the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities today.\nREAD THE STORY IN OHIO SCHOOLS | Parts of this conversation with Ky Theophanous were featured in the April/May 2025 edition of OEA's Ohio Schools magazine. Click here to check out the story on pages 20-21. \nSUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.\n\nFeatured Public Education Matters guest: \nKyriakos \"Ky\" Theophanous, ACCESS Co-President\n\nConnect with OEA:\nEmail educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics\nLike OEA on Facebook\nFollow OEA on Twitter\nFollow OEA on Instagram\nGet the latest news and statements from OEA here\nLearn more about where OEA stands on the issues \nKeep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch\nAbout us:\nThe Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools,...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/qLU1HXpO0BWjHZ9wsRqLDb3niD3HIo0pJs38nc-jHtg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzE3NTcwLzE2OTEw/ODIxNjctYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}