OCFA Negotiations Update: Nov. 9, 2022

Dear OCEA member,

The fight for a fair contract continues at OCFA where YOUR VOICE IS BEING HEARD—LOUDLY—BY THE JPA!

On Thursday, Oct. 27, OCEA members and staff along with OC Firefighters Local 3631 went to the JPA Board’s second-to-last meeting of the year with a group of speakers representing worker solidarity from across the West Coast and as far as Canada. OCEA General Manager Charles Barfield presented a petition signed by nearly 200 OCEA members at OCFA demanding the Board negotiate in good faith for the contract you, your co-workers and your families deserve.

“The inaction at the table is a breach of your leadership,” GM Barfield said to the JPA Board, before reading the full petition into the public record:

“The undersigned are Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) public safety professionals who provide 911 fire communications, fire preventon, education, fleet and support services to the residents of 23 cities and unincorporated areas within the County of Orange.

For more than 15 months the Directors of the OCFA have inexplicably failed and refused to constructively engage their rank-and-file staff in meaningful contract negotiations. During that time, even in the absence of a fair contract, public safety 911 dispatchers, fleet mechanics, nurse educators, fire inspectors, and other support staff have worked diligently to protect Orange County residents. But now the continued failure of the OCFA Board of Directors to exhibit even the slightest interest in acting to negotiate a fair contract has seriously damaged OCFA’s statewide reputation and hampered its ability to recruit and retain the best public safety professionals. We are taking a firm stand against OCFA’s Board because your safety requires it and our families need it.

We demand the Orange County Fire Authority Board of Directors take immediate action and fulfill their leadership obligation and to take the necessary steps to reach a fair agreement with OCFA public safety professionals. If action is not taken promptly, we intend to pursue all available remedies to ensure the safety of Orange County residents and fairness for ourselves and our families.”

After a series of speakers representing O.C., California and National labor organizations, OCEA and Local 3631 members left the room chanting a demand for fair negotiations—NOW! It was a powerful moment, and one we hope will resonate with the JPA Board as they continue to insult the fire safety public service professionals at OCFA in their handling of our contracts. You can watch the full video above.

The JPA Board will meet again Thursday, Nov. 17. Stay tuned for further updates on any worker actions that may occur. We will also be at the upcoming Rancho Santa Margarita City Council meeting to let their council and residents know how their JPA Board member has been treating the people who keep their community safe.

It is with your continued strength and solidarity that our message grows louder and louder. Thank you for standing with us.

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: November 9, 2022