HCA Outreach & Engagement Update: Jan. 28, 2025

Dear OCEA member,

Since your co-workers on the HCA O&E Organizing Committee appeared before the County Board of Supervisors to present our request for specialty pay for your program (click here for the video) Oct. 8, 2024, a flurry of action has taken place!

Prior to speaking at the Board meeting, we conducted a thorough briefing for the Chiefs of Staff for each of the Supervisors. This briefing allowed us to demonstrate our strength in numbers and convey our unwavering commitment to make real change in O&E.

The Board of Supervisors subsequently directed the CEO and Central HR to meet and confer with OCEA to explore providing specialty pay for workers in O&E. Our first meet and confer session with the County occurred Jan. 22, 2025. OCEA was represented by OCEA Senior Labor Relations Representative Michelle Rubio, OCEA Organizer Michelle Truong, and several dedicated WORKERS.

We made it clear the County cannot ignore the ongoing challenges we face in a changing workplace and the important role O&E workers play in creating the quality-of-life OC residents rely on. We also reminded the County that the total price tag on our request is only about $200,000. In light of the critical work we perform and compared to some of the non-essential items that the County spends money on, this is a real bargain!

The County representatives agreed to consider the additional information we presented during our meeting, review market data, discuss with management, and provide us with an update in February. Looking to the end of our discussions, the County will provide a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, who will ultimately determine what action the County will take.

While we are cautiously optimistic, we haven’t crossed the finish line yet. That is why we need you to stay vigilant and informed!

We will let you know the next steps, and if we need to mobilize again for another Board of Supervisors meeting, we will! Our strength is our unity, and we have gotten this far because we have kept the pressure up. Let's keep it up!

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: January 28, 2025