DAYTON, Ohio — The attorneys and staff of the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office have secured their first-ever union contract, winning annual pay raises, paid parental leave and new workplace protections, AFSCME announced on Tuesday, October 20. The agreement covers workers in the Dayton-area office who represent residents who cannot afford to hire their own lawyer.
The contract, reached by members of Local 4652 of AFSCME Ohio Council 8, provides annual raises over the next three years and up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave. It also establishes a formal promotions process and formal grievance and arbitration procedures, giving employees a clearer path for advancement and a defined way to resolve disputes on the job.
The workers, known as the Montgomery County Public Defender Collective, won their union in December 2024. Assistant public defender Mike Dailey said members stood together to reach the agreement, calling it an important step forward for the attorneys and staff who work every day to protect the rights of their clients.
Public defenders handle criminal cases for people who have a constitutional right to a fair trial and due process but cannot pay for private counsel. In Montgomery County, that work plays out daily in Dayton courtrooms, where the office’s attorneys and support staff carry cases for clients across the county.
Dailey said the group has built a strong foundation with the first agreement and hopes members continue to build on it. His comments framed the contract not as an endpoint, but as a starting point for a stronger office in the years ahead.
For Montgomery County residents, a more stable public defender office matters beyond the courthouse. Pay, parental leave and a formal promotions process can help an office retain experienced attorneys and staff, which supports continuity for clients whose cases may run for months.
The Montgomery County office now joins other public defender offices that have organized with Ohio Council 8, including offices in Hamilton County and Franklin County. With the first contract in place, Local 4652 members will work under its raises and protections over the next three years.
Photo: Steve Morgan, CC BY-SA