OCEA Update - Safety Survey Results!

Dear OCEA member,

Thank you to everyone who completed the OCEA Safety Survey last week. As evidenced by the statistics and testimony from public workers, massive safety gaps exist for essential frontline workers. These workers deserve safety in the workplace, stability to take care of the health needs of themselves and their families, and security as they keep our communities running safely today and into the future. Essential frontline workers DEMAND necessary safety measures from their employers. Public employers must implement common sense safety solutions IMMEDIATELY!  

There is no “one size fits all” approach that can be taken. Some public sector employers have gone above and beyond and kept their workers safe. We thank you! For other workers, coming to work remains both dangerous and stressful. This is unacceptable. On Thursday, April 30, OCEA hosted a Virtual Community Briefing to review the survey results. The event was attended by close to 100 Orange County mayors, legislative representatives, government executive leaders and dozens of other elected officials and community leaders. OCEA staff and workplace leaders presented the data below and spoke directly to what conditions are like for frontline workers. We made it clear that there is no alternative to safety, and we will take action to demand it!  You can visit a website we created specifically for community outreach by clicking HERE. A special thank you goes to OCEA leaders Sami Soto (OC Fire Authority) and Walter Muneton (OC Health Care Agency) for speaking on your behalf and that of your co-workers.

Please review the results of the survey below.

*NOTE: Not all participants answered all questions.

Public workers have different needs in different workplaces. The solution requires WORKER INVOLVEMENT! Essential workers must be included in essential decisions. Using this data and other worker input, OCEA staff will continue to focus on areas of most concern. We will demand that proper safety measures are implemented.  If you want to join with your co-workers and help ensure a safe, secure and stable workplace, please visit www.ocea.org/getinvolved.

In Solidarity,

Charles Barfield
OCEA General Manager

Publication Date: May 4, 2020