OCFA Negotiations Update: Feb. 14, 2023

Dear OCEA member,

After many months without directly meeting with OCFA's negotiations team, we met Tuesday, Feb.7 with lead negotiator Peter Brown and executive management.

As you may know, the JPA Board of Directors has seen a 40% turnover in members. We, as well as OC Firefighters Local 3631, have been reaching out to the new JPA Board members asking them to come to the table and discuss a fair contract for our members. We were informed at last week's meeting the new JPA Board has instructed its negotiations team to re-engage OCEA in the negotiations process.

At our Feb. 7 meeting we criticized OCFA for causing the fight over the last 18 months that has not only harmed our members but undermined any ability to have mutually beneficial working relationships between employees, the JPA Board and executive management. While that has not changed your dedication or professionalism toward your job, it is time to stop the dysfunction and begin the healing process.

The way to do this is to get a fair contract as soon as possible. While we must keep our most recent proposal confidential at this time, we can report that if accepted it would promote labor peace and provide fair wages to our members. The OCFA team will take our proposal back to the JPA Board at its Feb. 23 meeting.

In the meantime, we are not stopping our conversations with JPA Board members. We have shared with them all the sacrifices you have made and that it is time to take a stand and do what is right. As a sign of our hope for progress, we have scheduled two additional meetings with OCFA following the February JPA meeting, for March 9 and March 30.

We are hopeful this movement will lead to a new day at OCFA—one that recognizes your hard work and dedication with a fair contract. Stay tuned, and continue to stand with us as we stand with you.

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: July 5, 2017