October 15, 2021

Your bargaining team submitted their latest proposal on September 29th, and it was brought to Council at the October 12th meeting. We were informed that the Council did not develop its next proposal at that meeting, but instead asked City staff to conduct a financial analysis of the proposal. Due to the lack of a counter-proposal from the City, our next few bargaining meetings have been cancelled. We know the Finance Department is working hard to prepare the analysis for review at the October 19th Council meeting. If Council comes out of that meeting with a new proposal, we should be back at the bargaining table soon thereafter.

October 15, 2021

Last week, FMEF members, community members, and elected officials mobilized at the City Council meeting to make our voices heard. FMEF members turned out to show our displeasure with the City’s inability to hire, train, and retain workers dedicated to maintaining the quality of life in Fullerton. As a result of our action, we were able to stop the council from approving devastating cuts to City services.

October 14, 2021

OCEA Special Events is offering discounts to the upcoming Disney on Ice presentation of, "Dream Big" at the Honda Center from Dec. 8-12! This one-of-a-kind show features some of your favorite Disney characters and stories brought to life on the ice with energy and artistry. The Honda Center is a fantastic venue centrally located in Anaheim.

October 8, 2021

We are still in this fight. At the Fullerton City Council meeting this week, Mayor Whitaker’s and Mayor Pro Tem Dunlap’s motions to impose draconian staff cuts on an already depleted workforce failed time and time again. The result: an embarrassing impasse. Councilmembers Silva, Zahra, and Jung refused to go along with the anti-worker ideological schemes of their two colleagues.

October 8, 2021

Please join your co-workers and OCEA staff for a General Membership Meeting next week on Tuesday, Oct. 12. The meeting will be held virtually from Noon-1 p.m. One of the items on the agenda will be a contract reopener on a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) benefit. You may recall the Sanitation District recently hosted a presentation on HRAs that included a brief video. Please take a look at it before the meeting on Tuesday.

October 6, 2021

Today I completed and mailed in my ballot for the 2021 General Member Election for the OCERS Board of Trustees. It has been my pleasure to serve as your OCERS representative since 2013. During that time, I have focused much of my energy on ensuring that OCERS' operations are efficient and effective. I spent eight years on the Board’s Governance Committee ensuring that appropriate administrative policies and procedures are in place. I was instrumental in establishing our Personnel Committee, which provides a deeper level of board oversight on the personnel issues affecting OCERS.

October 5, 2021

Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County in response to an offshore crude oil spill of 13-square-miles that has reached many of our beaches and environmentally sensitive wetlands. Your colleagues and fellow OCEA members at the Emergency Operations Center and various agencies are working with federal and state agencies to manage this environmental catastrophe.

October 5, 2021

I am reaching out to you today on behalf of AMEA member Russell Murray. He's suffering from COVID-19 and has been hospitalized for a month. Russell is fighting for his life. He is the sole provider for his family and a dedicated member of the Anaheim workforce. We need to help Russell regain his health and strength so that he can return to his essential work.

October 1, 2021

Come and celebrate Autumn with your fellow OCEA members and enjoy a free hot dog lunch on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, at OCEA from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The OCEA grill masters will have the famous OCEA hot dog wagon fired up and ready to go.

October 1, 2021

Open enrollment for full-time health benefits begins next week on October 6th through October 29, 2021.

September 30, 2021

Your bargaining team met with the City’s representative yesterday to receive the City’s most recent proposal. While we are pleased the City made some positive movement in response to our demands, we believe there is still room for further movement. Our goal is to hold a ratification vote before Nov. 1, giving the City two more council meetings (opportunities) to improve their proposal.

September 30, 2021

Memorial Care is partnering with OCEA to provide a series of virtual seminars promoting health and well-being. Our first seminar, Skin Cancer Prevention with Dr. Susan Lee, discusses a topic that pertains to all of us—how to prevent and identify skin cancer. Dr. Lee’s practice focuses on family medicine due to its versatility. She enjoys a broad range of practice areas, from sports medicine and urgent care to inpatient medicine and outpatient care.

September 29, 2021

On Tuesday, Oct. 5, the City Council will deliberate the City Budget. These decisions will significantly impact City services in Fullerton and your job.

September 28, 2021

The OCERS general election begins this week with the arrival of ballots in your mailbox. It's important for the pension security of every member to re-elect OCERS Board member Chris Prevatt. Ballots must be received by the Registrar of Voters by November 2, 2021 at 9 a.m. (not just postmarked).

September 24, 2021

Are you an OCEA member who served in our country’s armed forces or have immediate family members who served or are currently serving? If so, please consider completing the attached OCEA Veterans Survey.