CFS Update: Join the CFS Social Worker LMC!

Dear OCEA member,

Thank you to all OCEA members in CFS who have helped create positive change within the division over the past year. Your work has been invaluable and is greatly appreciated.

For all we have achieved, we know that there is still much work to be done. To that end, after substantial input from OCEA CFS members and through negotiations with management, we are excited to announce the transition from the outdated Caseload Management Forum to a new CFS Social Worker Labor Management Committee (LMC).

The OCEA & SSA CFS Social Worker Labor Management Committee will be a collaborative partnership between OCEA members, OCEA labor relations staff, and CFS Management to achieve division-wide goals, propose improvements to workplace processes, and resolve broad workplace issues. The LMC structure and approach have proven to be very effective in other work areas, including the LMC for clerical staff within CFS. We are confident that together we can achieve similar success for the social worker classifications within CFS.

What to expect:

• Monthly meetings with paid release time for LMC participants.
• Nine (9) OCEA members on the LMC as your representatives, with representation from all CFS divisions.
• Specifically, one (1) SSW and one (1) SSSS from each of the four (4) CFS Divisions as well as one (1) SWII or SSS within CFS.
• Regular LMC meeting attendance by CFS Division Director, Jyothi Alturi, who will also serve as the Executive Sponsor.
• Regular LMC meeting attendance by two (2) Deputy Directors and one (1) other manager (serving as member-at-large).
• SSA-HR and OCEA staff attendance at each meeting.
• The opportunity to recommend, discuss, and resolve issues impacting social worker classifications.

You can read the specific MOU language regarding LMCs here.

We are currently recruiting members to serve on the CFS Social Worker LMC. Do you have ideas to help improve communication in your work environment? Can you recommend a more efficient way to approach an agency process? Do you think you can be a positive force for change in a collaborative environment? If so, we need to hear from you! This is an exciting opportunity to join the LMC on the ground floor and be an influential voice to improve the workplace for yourself and your co-workers.

If you want to apply to be an LMC member or if you have any LMC questions or ideas, please contact OCEA Labor Relations staff Kerensa Schupmann (kschupmann@ocea.org) or Louie Gurrola (lgurrola@ocea.org) by email or at (714) 835-3355.

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: August 4, 2023