OMEA Negotiations Update: 2025 Survey Results and Our First Meeting with the City

Dear OMEA member,

We’re writing to update you on contract negotiations. We began this negotiations cycle with a membership meeting on January 22 to outline the negotiations process and launch the 2025 OMEA Negotiations Survey. Thank you to all who participated—your feedback has been invaluable.

Your 2025 Negotiations Team:

• Joe Avila, President (Community Services)
• John Ferry, Vice-President (Library)
• Holly Gardner, Treasurer (Finance)
• Martin Varona, Secretary (Public Works)
• Eric Perez, Member at Large (Public Works)

Your team is also supported by OCEA Senior Labor Relations Representative Kerensa Schupmann, serving as Lead Negotiator and OCEA Labor Consultant Julie Bott serving as Second Chair.

The negotiations team has met twice since the January membership meeting to:

• Review every survey response and informal member feedback.
• Develop potential proposals and their impact.
• Seek to ensure equitable benefits across the bargaining unit.
• Assess financial feasibility and cost implications for the City.

To support our proposals, we submitted initial Requests for Information (RFIs) on Feb. 19, and the City responded by providing data on March 7. We are also developing strong justifications for each proposal so we can negotiate from a position of strength.

City’s Financial Challenges & Our Approach

Before sharing our findings, we acknowledge the City of Orange’s $19 million budget shortfall—32% of the general fund—following the failure of Measure Z. This has led to a hiring freeze and service reductions. While we recognize these constraints, we remain committed to advocating for your priorities.

Key Survey Findings

Wages Remain the Top Priority

• Over half of respondents ranked wage increases as their biggest concern.
• Rising costs of food, housing, transportation, and healthcare continue to impact members.
• We hear you, and we will fight for fair compensation that reflects economic realities.

Paid Holidays & Leave Enhancements

• Strong support for adding paid holidays and improving sick leave conversion.
• Many members suggested cost-effective solutions to enhance work-life balance.

Work Schedule Flexibility

• High interest in alternative work schedules (e.g., 4/10s) and remote work.
• Members request City counters close at 4:30 PM on working Fridays for consistency.

Job Protections Are Essential

• Members expressed concerns about understaffing and increasing workloads.
• No-layoff and no-furlough protections remain a top priority.

Improved Medical Benefits

• Members seek higher City contributions to medical premiums to offset rising healthcare costs.
• We are encouraged by your willingness to take collective action—a majority of respondents indicated they are ready to sign petitions and attend City Council meetings in support of our efforts.

Next Steps

• March 20: We present our initial proposal to the City.
• March 25: City Council is scheduled to review our proposal in closed session.
• March 31: We expect to receive the City's initial counterproposal.

As negotiations progress, we will keep you informed each step of the way. While you may not be in the room, your voices are with us at the table.

In Solidarity,

OMEA

Publication Date: March 19, 2025