In 1936, the OFT established a dues system for local affiliates, becoming the first self-funding, staffed state federation in the AFT.
Michael Eck of the Cleveland Teachers Union was the first executive secretary (he also served as an AFT vice president).
The OFT focused on legislative activity (primarily increased funding for public schools) and organizing new locals in its first three decades.
In 1966, OFT hired the first staff to provide services (such as contract negotiations, research, grievance processing, etc.)
In 1968, AFT convention delegates passed an amendment to the union's national constitution requiring locals to affiliate with their respective state federations.
In the 1980s, as part of a national policy adopted by the AFT, the OFT began raiding established teacher locals to build its membership.
The OFT targeted OEA and independent education unions which had achieved collective bargaining (either by reaching a contract or through adoption of local law or ordinance).
It forced a new collective bargaining election or created an insurgency which would seize control of the union's governing body and push through an affiliation change.
The OFT began organizing school paraprofessionals, higher education faculty and support personnel, and public employees in an effort to achieve greater financial stability.
Although OEA and OFT often competed in these organizing elections, raiding between the two unions largely ceased (and was prohibited by an AFT-NEA "no-raid" agreement in 1998).
[2] OFT has been involved in statewide politics; for example, it endorsed the Citizens Not Politicians campaign for the 2024 Issue 1 ballot initiative against gerrymandering.