OCEA members,
Today the Board of Supervisors adopted a Retirement Assistance Program, or “RAP,” as part of their Final Budget Resolution. Here is what it is, how we fought back, and where it stands.
The RAP is open to regular and limited-term County employees who are retirement eligible through OCERS. The County estimates roughly 2,000 workers may qualify. It offers a $20,000 incentive to retire, deposited into the employee’s Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) account. That will get some people’s attention, and I understand why. But the details still aren’t settled, and participation requires signing a waiver that cannot be undone. If you are even considering participation, talk to your OCEA Labor Relations Representative first.
If you watched today’s meeting, you saw me oppose the RAP as drafted. Our primary objection was section 4(a), which provided that every position vacated through RAP shall be deleted. The County had been insisting on automatic and permanent position deletions. I told the Board this was “a non-starter for OCEA.” In the end, they voted to delete 4(a) in its entirety. Automatic and permanent position deletion is no longer part of the program.
That fight matters because the County’s vacancy rate has been a major issue for OCEA for years, and it is central to our County negotiations. The County’s refusal to staff its agencies appropriately leaves employees overworked and under resourced and denies the public the services they deserve.
Even more galling, the County Financial Team continues to push a false austerity narrative while continuing to add millions of dollars to reserves.
What we saw today was chaotic and dysfunctional, and OCEA members are paying the price.
So where does this stand? The County is now obligated to meet and confer with every labor organization on the impacts of RAP on workers. We remain very concerned about how this program is structured, and we have not had a serious chance to negotiate it yet.
Members are tired of the County fighting against the very public servants who want to provide excellent public service. The cost of living keeps climbing, and the County keeps asking you to do more with fewer resources and fewer co-workers beside you. We want leaders who support us, not crush us. We want leaders who view us as more than just budget line items when, in truth, the County has had money to operate fairly and effectively for decades.
We will keep you informed as this continues. And we will keep fighting for the respect and staffing levels your work deserves.
In Solidarity,
Charles Barfield
OCEA General Manager
