OCPL Safety Update: Oct. 10, 2024

Dear OCEA member,

Over the past several weeks we have taken the worker safety issues at OC Public Libraries directly to the offices of the Board of Supervisors.

Members of the OCPL LMC and OCEA staff met with staff from Fifth District Supervisor Foley’s office in early August to address the safety and related issues you and other Library workers have brought forward. We received encouraging feedback and pressed for widespread meaningful change.

During September we were able to meet with representatives of Second District Supervisor Vince Sarmiento. Supervisor Sarmiento and his staff are strong supporters and advocates for OCEA and members like you. In fact, one member of Supervisor Sarmiento’s staff is a former Library worker! Their firsthand experience facilitated a thorough understanding of our issues and led to a meaningful discussion of ways to help.

Again, we asked for improvements around Safety, Transfers and Staffing.

• Safety: We briefed the office on the multiple incidents of violence against Library workers and other incidents that jeopardize the safety of OCPL workers. Despite superficial efforts, we explained that the Agency still has not taken the necessary steps to ensure the safety of OCPL staff. Andres spoke of his own personal experiences being assaulted while Jesse and Amber talked about the public threats they face at the Garden Grove branches daily. We asked the County to deploy OCSD Sheriff Special Officers to problem branches, and to properly staff ALL branches.

• Rotations: We know workers are more effective when they have additional flexibility and choices at work. We briefed the Supervisors’ offices on the ongoing seemingly arbitrary rotations, the negative impacts on OCPL workers, and the Agency’s repetitive and unsupportable excuse of “business need.” We asked for rotation practices that are transparent and more worker friendly. 

• Staffing: The uncertainty around the future of the Irvine branches is not an excuse to ignore staffing needs. Though we have received assurances from the City of Irvine and the County workers will be the top priority in the Irvine transition, we know staffing needs to be addressed Agency-wide. We requested that the Agency promptly fill currently open positions as one means of addressing safety and operational issues.

We will continue to schedule meetings with the remaining Board of Supervisor offices in the coming weeks.

Now is the time to make your voice heard—so that we can make positive change together!

We want to show how the issues of safety, rotations, and staffing impact everyone at the public libraries. We are asking each member to write a letter describing how these issues have affected your ability to do your job and help your community.

If you want to sign your name to the letter, please do, but if you want to remain anonymous, that’s okay too! Please address the letter for “To Whom It May Concern,” and include your branch if you feel comfortable.

To submit a letter, please contact one of your OCPL LMC members or OCEA representatives Alisha Greene (agreene@ocea.org) or Donika Nunez (dnunez@ocea.org).

The deadline has been extended to Friday, Oct. 18, to allow members more time to complete their letters. We hope you will join us in this campaign.

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: October 10, 2024