Happy Labor Day 2025 from OCEA
Dear Union member,
As I think about what you achieve each day—keeping our communities safe, our services running, and our county functioning—I realize that Orange County thrives because of you and the work you do.
Labor Day arrives this year at a crucial time. This year brings both challenges and great momentum. Across America, working people continue to find their strength again. Union support has reached heights not seen since the 1960s. Workers who were once told they could never organize are proving the doubters wrong.
However, powerful interests aim to break down workplace protections and take away collective bargaining rights for private sector AND public sector workers. They want to bring back a time when workers had no voice, no options, and no dignity on the job.
They chose the wrong fight.
What they don’t see is that solidarity isn’t just a term; it’s how we’ve achieved every protection that working families have today. The 40-hour workweek, workplace safety laws, and weekends exist because workers stood together and demanded them.
From the 1877 Railroad Strike to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which led to safety reforms. From the Flint sit-down strikes that helped unionize auto workers to the Memphis sanitation workers marching with Dr. King. From Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta's grape boycotts to today’s teacher strikes. Even here at home, just weeks ago, Garden Grove Public Works employees with OCEA rallied for respect at the negotiation table. Every protection we enjoy was earned by workers who would not back down.
Together, we're shaping the next chapter in Orange County. While anti-worker groups push their agenda elsewhere, California is enhancing protections for all workers. We’re not just defending what we have—we’re making progress.
Your involvement is crucial now more than ever. When we vote, organize, and stand united, that’s when we’re at our strongest.
On this Labor Day, I'm proud to stand with you as we continue the important work: ensuring every member receives fair treatment, proper pay, and the respect you deserve. The challenges are real. So are our solidarity and resolve.
In Solidarity,
Charles Barfield
OCEA General Manager
Publication Date: September 1, 2025