Stand With Us: We Will No Longer Accept Management's Inaction
Dear CFS Worker,
As many of you are aware, during the 2023 County negotiations OCEA and the County agreed to form a CFS Labor Management Committee (LMC) to address ongoing challenges faced by CFS social workers. The LMC was intended to create a meaningful space for workers and management to collaborate, share ideas, and find real solutions to some of the most pressing CFS issues. Unfortunately, that objective failed to materialize.
On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, OCEA took decisive action and formally notified CFS Executive Leadership of our decision to suspend the CFS Social Worker LMC indefinitely.
You can read the notification letter at the bottom of this email.
The LMC could have and should have been a powerful and mutually beneficial vehicle for progress. However, CFS management failed time and time again to demonstrate their commitment to you. Instead, like the Caseload Management Forum before it, the LMC became yet another space where CFS Executive Leadership refused to prioritize social worker needs. They repeatedly ignored or dismissed critical issues like caseloads, work-life balance, rotations, and more.
OCEA will no longer waste valuable resources on processes that show no promise of yielding tangible results. It’s time to stand firm and demand change within SSA. OCEA members and the vulnerable residents we serve deserve better.
The issues we face are too important to ignore. Social workers across Orange County needlessly and unfairly struggle with:
- Mandatory Rotations that disrupt lives and services.
- Overwhelming Workloads that make it impossible to take well-earned time off without fear of repercussion.
- Lack of Support and Accountability from upper management, leaving workers to shoulder burdens alone.
OCEA is refocusing our energy on direct actions to address these challenges. Our first step is to reopen the meet-and-confer process for the Mandatory Rotation Policy. As part of this effort, we have formally requested critical data from CFS, including statistics on medical leaves, retirements, vacancies, and more.
Management’s tactics of gaslighting and creating false narratives to undermine your concerns must be strongly rejected. We need your help to do this. We are asking you to take part in a survey to share your lived experiences. This data will be vital in challenging management and pushing for meaningful, lasting change.
Here’s what we ask from you:
- Complete the survey – Your detailed input is crucial to shaping our strategy and actions.
- Share specific examples - How these practices have impacted your work and well-being.
- Stay engaged – Your participation is essential to strengthening our collective power.
Remember: Solidarity is our strength!
We know these challenges have taken a toll on you, but we want to make this clear: We see you. We hear you. We are fighting for you.
Together, we will hold the Agency accountable and demand the respect, support, and resources you deserve.
In solidarity,
OCEA
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
