March 27, 2020

Today concludes week two of OCEA’s response to the unprecedented workplace impacts triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Protecting the community is what you and your coworkers signed up to do, and nurses, social workers, educators, public safety officials, and others are meeting that challenge every day. In a crisis like this, there are no “non-essential” public workers.

March 24, 2020

Thank you to the Court Stewards participating in today's conference call. One of the items reported by your workplace leaders is a gap that now exists in Court communications to its workers resulting from Justice Center closures. This afternoon, we received an email communication from the Court containing detailed information on completing your time cards.

March 23, 2020

The past several weeks have been unprecedented for our nation and our union. We are adapting to new realities with the same values that have guided our union—advocacy, member involvement and strength in numbers.

March 20, 2020

In compliance with Governor Gavin Newsom’s March 19, 2020 order, OCEA is further limiting the number of workers stationed at our headquarters at 830 N. Ross Street. The OCEA building has been closed to the public to limit contacts that could lead to a transmission of the COVID-19 virus. What is not being limited in any way is the exclusive representation OCEA staff continues to provide to you and your fellow OCEA members. Please see the graphic below illustrating how to reach all of OCEA’s divisions and services. Every member of our team remains on the job and available through telecommuting.

March 19, 2020

Your AMEA Board is aware of the concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and has reached out to City management to discuss the City’s plan to keep you safe. Here at AMEA, it’s our priority to help ensure that you and your co-workers are provided adequate protections as directed and recommended by the California Department of Public Health.

March 18, 2020

Every OCEA member’s efforts to balance work and family life during the COVID-19 crisis are unique to that member. We will continue to keep you informed as we learn new (and sometimes inconsistent) protocols being established by the County which may impact your efforts.

March 18, 2020

As you likely know by now, late last week the California Supreme Court denied our request for review in our litigation against the County. That ends what has been an eight-year effort in Court to restore peace officer status to Sheriff’s Special Officers.

March 17, 2020

Last night, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye issued an emergency order authorizing the closure of Orange County Superior Court facilities to the public until at least March 30, 2020. A press release issued by the Court clarified that the closure is not in response to a specific notice of exposure at any Court facility or to any Court staff. Instead, it is intended to help limit the spread of the virus and the potential for future exposure.

March 17, 2020

As our state and nation continue to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic, worker safety is your union’s top priority. At our urging, the County took some steps on Friday, March 13 in an effort to protect workers, including enhanced telecommuting options and more flexible uses of time.

March 17, 2020

Paying for a college education isn’t easy. That’s why the OCEA Board of Directors awards scholarships each year for dependents of OCEA members.

March 13, 2020

Over the past few weeks, OCEA has monitored the rapidly-evolving COVID-19 pandemic in the context of OCEA member safety and financial security. Your and your co-workers are on the front line routinely interacting with members of the public.

March 13, 2020

You’re likely hearing some concerns from your coworkers related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. To help you anticipate and answer questions from Kaiser Permanente members, we want to share how Kaiser is preparing for and responding to this virus.

March 12, 2020

Our union is a special place that brings us together as workers. OCEA’s greatest strength is its strength in numbers. This has been the foundation of our union since OCEA’s formation in 1937. In recent weeks, we have monitored the rapidly changing events related to the global spread of the COVID-19 virus. We have taken, and will continue to take, the necessary steps to comply with Federal, State and local recommendations to protect OCEA members and staff from exposure to the virus.

March 12, 2020

During a recent site visit, ER workers clearly conveyed their concerns with the action by ER management to extend the hours when you are assigned a PM shift from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Your co-workers communicated multiple problems, of which the two most critical areas of concern were safety issues caused by staff being out until almost midnight and negative impacts to home/work balance.

March 6, 2020

On Monday, March 2, 2020, OCEA members and staff met with representatives of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, County Human Resources Services and County Counsel to kick off discussions regarding the Sheriff’s Department’s desire to merge the CST/Sr. CST and CSA classifications. While the Sheriff’s Department initiated these conversations, OCEA has a duty to meet and confer with the Department on any impacts to our classifications. At this time the Department is simply beginning the process of studying the classifications and their job duties. No decisions on what the final merger will look like have been made.