OCFA Negotiations Update: Thursday, June 30

Dear OCEA member,

On Monday, your bargaining team met again with OCFA management. In a continued display of the disregard for the struggles that you and your family have faced with higher inflation and gas prices, OCFA has not changed ​its proposal of ​a total of 1.25% for a two-year contract (0.625% per year). Additionally, while management has ​stated that ​it would like input for a classification and compensation study, it has rejected our demand for a guarantee that nobody has their salaries frozen as a result of the outcome of that study.

Thank you to those that came to the membership meetings on Monday night. From those meetings it is clear that everyone is very frustrated with the responses of OCFA. Please know that your bargaining team has continued to advocate for your interests at the table and have not delayed this process in anyway. We are ready to come to a fair agreement and to get fair wages for all members. As we shared, our proposal on wages prior to Monday was very simple and based on the current Consumer Price Index. 4% effective July 1 of 2022, 4% effective January 1 of 2023 and 8% effective July 1 of 2023. The Authority rejected that proposal and despite record property tax revenues has said that it​​ cannot afford to pay these amounts and that our requests are unreasonable. What is unreasonable is the JPA Board and leadership being completely tone deaf to the realities that each of you are facing.

On Monday we presented a fair and equitable counter proposal. We​ cannot share those details at this point as the Authority needs to take the proposal back to the Board. We will continue to reach out to Board members and to educate them on the work that you provide to the residents of Orange County as well as the need to respect you as its ​employees. We will also be looking for volunteers to get involved with additional actions. If you are interested in participating or finding out more information, please let us know.

Our next meeting is scheduled after the JPA Board meeting and will be held on Tuesday, August 2. We will keep you posted of any developments.

In Solidarity,

Sami Soto, Fire Communications Supervisor
John Bowden, Assistant Fire Marshal
Don Friedline, Fleet Services Supervisor
Eric Monroe, Heavy Equipment Operator II
Rich Swanson, Fire Prevention Analyst

Aaron Peardon, OCEA Senior Labor Relations Representative
Jessica Salazar, OCEA Labor Relations Specialist
Don Drozd, OCEA General Counsel
Charles Barfield, OCEA General Manager

Publication Date: June 30, 2022