GOOD MORNING. I
LIKE THAT. WELL, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WE DON'T HAVE ANY YET
AND THE PUBLIC. THE
INFORMATIONAL HEARING TODAY IS
ABOUT THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN
CALIFORNIA AND HOW WE STRENGTHEN
THE STATE THROUGH THE PUBLIC
SECTOR AND ITS WORKFORCE. WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM SEVERAL
PANELS THAT INCLUDE RESEARCHERS
, LEADERS AND EMPLOYEES WHO WILL
PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW IN DETAILS
REGARDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT
EDUCATION AND THE STATE'S PUBLIC
SECTOR AREAS. CALIFORNIA IS
FACING CHALLENGES IN EACH OF
THESE AREAS OF GOVERNMENT. AND
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A
VITAL PUBLIC SECTOR. AS THE
STATE CONTINUES TO TRY TO FIND
SOLUTIONS TO DEAL WITH POVERTY
AND EQUITY, CLIMATE CHANGE AND
EXTREME WEATHER, NATURAL
DISASTERS, HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND HOMELESSNESS AND A RAPIDLY
AGING POPULATION. ONE THING
REMAINS THE SAME. CALIFORNIA'S
PUBLIC SECTOR IS ABSOLUTELY
VITAL TO ADDRESSING THESE
MATTERS. BUT THE PUBLIC SECTOR
NEEDS TO BE STRONG FOR A NUMBER
OF YEARS AND EVEN MORE DOING
DURING AND AFTER THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC. PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES HAVE
DEGRADED, DEGRADE DEGRADED THAT
WERE ONCE CONSIDERED AS A SAFE
MIDDLE CLASS JOBS THAT SUPPORTED
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES EACH
DAY WITH INCREASING DEMAND FOR
PUBLIC SERVICES, BURNOUT AND
RETIREMENT VACANCIES IN THE
PUBLIC SECTOR ALSO HAVE
INCREASED. HOW DO WE ADDRESS
THESE CHALLENGES WHEN PUBLIC
SECTOR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES ARE
BEHIND ON THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY
AND OTHER PLATFORMS FOR
RECRUITMENT AND ARE LEADING TO A
RELIANCE ON A TEMPORARY OR
CONTINGENT WORKFORCE CONTRACTING
OUT IN WAGES THAT ARE NOT
KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION? WE'LL
EXPLORE EACH OF THESE ITEMS
DURING THIS HEARING BEFORE WE
BEGIN IF TIME PERMITS TOWARDS
THE END OF THIS HEARING, WE WILL
ALSO HAVE A BRIEF PERIOD FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT. HOWEVER THE
COMMITTEE ALSO ACCEPTS WRITTEN
TESTIMONY, INCLUDING FOR THE,
INCLUDING FOR THIS HEARING
THROUGH THE ADVOCACY PORTHOLE.
YOU CAN SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY
THROUGH THE ADVOCACY PORTAL ON
THE COMMITTEE'S INTERNET WEBSITE
. ALSO WE HAVE A CHANGE TO ONE
OF THE PRESENTERS DURING THIS
HEARING, KATHRYN BARKER IS
UNABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, HOWEVER
, SARAH FLOCKS WHO IS THE
LEGISLATIVE AND STRATEGY
STRATEGIC CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR WITH
THE CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION,
WILL BE WILL BE PRESENTED IN
CATHERINE'S PLACE WITH THAT.
LET'S START WITH OUR FIRST
PANEL. OUR FIRST PADDLE TODAY
WILL BE DR SARAH HINCKLEY. OKAY
NOT CATHERINE SAID, UM, SORRY.
SARAH FLOCK AND TEAR OR AND
BRIAN KATE RICE. PLEASE COME UP.
GOOD MORNING. EXCUSE MY VOICE.
BUT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE YELLING
FOR THE LAKERS, THIS IS WHAT
HAPPENS. YEAH.
OKAY? INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. AND
IF YOU GUYS CAN PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AS YOU START. THANK
YOU. WITH THAT. MY NAME IS DR
SER. THE PUBLIC SECTOR. THANK
YOU FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING AND
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO BE
PARTICIPATE ON THIS PANEL. AS OF
MARCH 2023 2.6 MILLION
CALIFORNIANS WORK FOR LOCAL,
STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,
NEARLY 15% OF THE STATE'S
WORKFORCE. IN ADDITION TO
PROVIDING VITAL SERVICES, PUBLIC
SECTOR JOBS HAVE HISTORICALLY
BEEN A PATHWAY TO MIDDLE CLASS
STABILITY, PARTICULARLY FOR
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND FOR WOMEN.
IN CALIFORNIA LAST YEAR, 24% OF
BLACK WORKERS WERE EMPLOYED IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR UP FROM 19% IN
2019, HISPANIC WORKERS MAKE UP
33% OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR. 58%
ARE WOMEN COMPARED TO ONLY 43%
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THESE ARE
THE SAME WORKERS OFTEN
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY
RECESSIONS AND BY DECLINES IN
PUBLIC SERVICES. IN THE FIRST
FOUR MONTHS OF THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC, 178,000 GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES IN CALIFORNIA LOST
THEIR JOBS ONLY 80% OF THOSE
JOBS HAVE COME BACK. AS OF MARCH
. 2023 CALIFORNIA'S LOCAL
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT IS STILL
DOWN MORE THAN 45,000 JOBS, A
DECLINE THAT CUTS ACROSS ALL
OCCUPATIONS. STATE EDUCATION IS
DOWN 13,000 JOBS, LOCAL
EDUCATION MORE THAN 37,000 AND
OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEARLY
24,000 JOBS. BUT EVEN THESE
LOSSES DO NOT FULLY CAPTURE THE
DEGREE TO WHICH CALIFORNIA'S
PUBLIC SECTOR HAS LANGUISHED. IN
CALIFORNIA. PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYMENT HAS NEVER RECOVERED
FROM THE GREAT RECESSION WHEN
POPULATION GROWTH IS FACTORED
IN. WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS
DECLARED CALIFORNIA SHOULD HAVE
HAD AN ADDITIONAL 74,000 STATE
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS TO
KEEP PACE WITH POPULATION
GROWTH. AS OF JANUARY 2022 WHEN
THE LAST OFFICIAL POPULATION
ESTIMATES WERE ISSUED, THAT GAP
HAD GROWN TO MORE THAN 150,000
JOBS. PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
HAS RECOVERED FAIRLY WELL SINCE
2020 GROWING BY 2. OVER 3300 AND
44,000 JOBS. BUT PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYMENT HAS ACTUALLY FALLEN
BY 1% 34,000 JOBS. PUBLIC SECTOR
WAGES HAVE ALSO FAILED TO KEEP
PACE WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
MAKING IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT
FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO FILL
OPEN POSITIONS SINCE 2010
PRIVATE SECTOR WAGE GROWTH EACH
MONTH, WHILE STILL WELL BELOW
INFLATION LEVELS HAS
SIGNIFICANTLY OUTPACED THAT IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, A REVERSAL OF
THE GREAT RECESSION. WHEN PUBLIC
SECTOR WAGES REMAINED RELATIVELY
STABLE. IN ADDITION, THE ONE
TIME NATURE OF MOST FEDERAL
STIMULUS FUNDING AND UNCERTAINTY
OVER ONGOING STATE FUNDING MAKES
PUBLIC EMPLOYERS HESITANT TO
RAISE WAGES OR CREATE NEW
PERMANENT POSITIONS THAT WILL
INCUR ONGOING COSTS. THAT'S THE
STRONG STATE AND FEDERAL
INVESTMENTS MADE OVER THE PAST
FEW YEARS HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE
A STRONG PUBLIC SECTOR RECOVERY
, COMPOUNDING THE CHALLENGES
FACED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT
REVENUE LOSS. PUBLIC SECTOR
SPENDING IS AN IMPORTANT
ECONOMIC STABILIZER. NOT ONLY
OUR PUBLIC SERVICES, ESPECIALLY
CRITICAL DURING ECONOMIC
DOWNTURNS, STABLE JOBS, KEEP
MONEY CIRCULATING IN THE ECONOMY
, BOLSTERING CONSUMER SPENDING
AND PROVIDING IMPORTANT ECONOMIC
STABILITY FOR MILLIONS OF
FAMILIES. THE GREAT RECESSION
WAS FOLLOWED BY THE WEAKEST
ECONOMIC RECOVERY ON RECORD.
WITH WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT ACROSS
THE ECONOMY STAGNATING WELL INTO
THE FOLLOWING DECADE. ECONOMISTS
BELIEVE THAT LAGGING PUBLIC
SECTOR EMPLOYMENT WAS A
SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THIS
ANEMIC ECONOMIC RECOVERY. A
WEEK. FEDERAL STIMULUS RESPONSE
. SIGNIFICANT STATE BUDGET CUTS
AND RESTRICTIONS ON LOCAL
REVENUES. ALL CONTRIBUTED TO
LEAVE CALIFORNIANS WORSE OFF
ECONOMICALLY HEADING INTO THE
GLOBAL PANDEMIC. UNDERSTANDING
PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
IS VITAL BECAUSE THEY REFLECT
THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO
SUPPORT ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AND
GROWTH. WITHOUT STRONG PUBLIC
SERVICES. GOOD SCHOOLS, SAFE
STREETS, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION
AND EFFECTIVE SAFETY NET. AND
ROBUST PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS.
CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMY CANNOT
REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL. WHEN
WE SEE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC
SECTOR EMPLOYMENT STAGNATE AS WE
HAVE FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, WE
SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED. I'M
GLAD YOU'RE HOLDING THIS
IMPORTANT HEARING AND THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR INVITING ME TO
PARTICIPATE. MADAM CHAIR
MEMBERS. SARAH FLOCKS,
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION.
THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF
ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THIS
HEARING. UM AND THE LABOR
FEDERATION REPRESENTS TWO
MILLION UNION MEMBERS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE
MAJORITY OF WHICH WORK IN THE
PUBLIC SECTOR, IN FACT, OF OUR
1200 AFFILIATES, PROBABLY ALMOST
EVERYONE REPRESENTS WORKERS IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AND YOU'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM SOME
INCREDIBLE SPEAKERS TODAY, BUT
THAT IS ONLY A SMALL SLICE OF
THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN CALIFORNIA.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR. PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS LITERALLY ARE THE
FOUNDATION OF THE STATE AND WHAT
KEEPS IT RUNNING AND BY
FOUNDATION. I MEAN, LIKE THE
SEWERS, THE WATER LINES ARE
CLEAN DRINKING WATER, THE ROADS
WE DRIVE ON THE BUS DRIVERS, THE
PEOPLE WHO HELP US IN
EMERGENCIES, THE ONES YOU
PREVENT EMERGENCIES. THE ONES
WHO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR
UI CHECKS AND WHATEVER WE NEED
TO GET THROUGH WHATEVER. THE
RECESSION, THE ECONOMY OR
NATURAL DISASTERS THROW AT US,
UM, AND FOR THE LABOR FEDERATION
, OUR PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS
THERE, EVERYONE A TO Z.
ARBORISTS UM ACCOUNTANTS, BUS
DRIVERS, YOUTH COUNSELORS AND
ZOOKEEPERS. UM IT IS AN
INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE RANGE OF
WORKERS, AND THEY'RE ALSO THE
WORKERS WHO COLLECT THE MONEY
THAT FUND THE STATE TO RUN. UM I
JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
. F T B E D D C D T F A B O E
LOCAL 1000 MEMBERS WHO ARE IN
THE AUDIENCE. MAYBE JAZZ HANDS.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO COLLECT
THE FUNDS AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO
KEEP OUR STATE RUNNING. THEY ARE
REALLY THE HEART OF THE STATE.
UM AND FOR GENERATIONS OF PUBLIC
SECTOR WAS ALSO THE TICKET TO
THE MIDDLE CLASS. WE'VE HEARD
ABOUT THE HOLLOWING OUT OF THE
MIDDLE CLASS AND A LOT OF TIMES
THAT'S FOCUSED ON MANUFACTURING
ON AUTO WORKERS AND STEEL IN THE
RUST BELT, BUT REALLY THE PUBLIC
SECTOR. FOR WORKERS ALL OVER
CITIES TOWN, SUBURBAN URBAN
RURAL THAT HAS BEEN THE TICKET
TO THE MIDDLE CLASS BECAUSE
EVERYONE HAS ROADS AND A LIBRARY
AND SCHOOLS, SO YOU WERE ABLE TO
GET A GOOD UNION JOB. AND IN THE
19 SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUT IN ANTI
DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL RIGHTS
PROTECTIONS SO THAT MORE WOMEN
AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COULD GET
INTO THESE GOOD UNION JOBS AND
AS A RESULT, STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IS MUCH MORE DIVERSE
THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND
BECAUSE UNIONIZATION THERE'S
FIVE TIMES AS MUCH UNIONIZATION
IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. THOSE ARE
GOOD JOBS. SO YOU HAVE A STABLE
CAREER JOB. THAT'S PERMANENT,
WHERE YOU CAN RAISE A FAMILY BY
HOME AND RETIRE. AND THAT'S ALL
OVER OUR STATE, AND THAT ALSO
HELPS REDUCE THE RACIAL AND
GENDER WAGE GAP. AND IN FACT,
JUST IN LOS ANGELES, I THINK U C
L A DID THE STUDY. UM 22% OF
PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS ARE BLACK
, AND THEY EARN 46% MORE ON
AVERAGE THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. SO THESE
ARE JOBS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN
TERMS OF SERVING THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND ADDRESSING THE
INCOME INEQUALITY AND RACIAL
WAGE GAP IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. THE FLIP SIDE, THE
NOT GOOD NEWS AND WHAT YOU'RE
GOING TO HEAR. A LOT OF TODAY IS
THAT THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS
BECOMING A LOT MORE LIKE THE
WORST ASPECTS OF THE PRIVATE
SECTOR. IT'S THE WALMART IZATION
, THE AMAZON INDICATION OF THE
PUBLIC SECTOR, WHERE IT'S MORE
CONTINGENT MORE PART TIME OR
TEMPORARY WAGES ARE LOWER AND
TIGHTENING BUDGETS MEAN WE HAVE
NOT RECOVERED JOBS FROM THE
GREAT RECESSION. AND SO THIS
HEARING IS SO INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC
SECTOR IS IMPORTANT. IT'S
IMPORTANT TO OUR STATE. IT'S
IMPORTANT IN REDUCING INCOME
INEQUALITY, RACIAL INEQUALITY
AND GENDER INEQUALITY. AND IT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS WE NEED TO
HAVE STRENGTHENED BECAUSE IT
MAKES CALIFORNIA BETTER AND IT
MAKES CALIFORNIA STRONGER. SO I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR HAVING THIS HEARING TO ALL
OF THE UNION MEMBERS WHO ARE
HERE TO TESTIFY. UM I HOPE THAT
THIS LEADS TO MORE HEARINGS AND
TO TAKING ACTION TO IMPROVE
PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, MADAM
CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO YOUR
CONSULTANTS FOR ALL OF THE WORK,
AND I WOULD JUST ECHO THE
COMMENTS OF EVERYBODY ELSE ON
THE TABLE. JUST THANK YOU FOR
TAKING LEADERSHIP AND HAVING
THIS INFORMATIONAL HEARING TODAY
, I THINK YOU SEE FROM THE
PRESENCE OF OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IN THE CROWD. HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS IN ACERRA
FLOCKS INDICATED THIS IS ONLY A
SMALL FACET OF PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. MOST OF THEM RIGHT
NOW ARE MAKING OUR STATE GO
HELPING PEOPLE THAT ARE
VULNERABLE AND ENSURING THAT
THEY'RE DOING THE BEST JOB THAT
THEY CAN UM, AND MAYBE GO KINGS
. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I DON'T
KNOW. GO KINGS. UM SO AGAIN, I
THINK YOU'VE HEARD THAT THERE
ARE SEVERAL FACETS OF THE PUBLIC
SECTOR AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US. WELL UM, THAT WE HAVE SEEN
WHERE OUR FOUNDATION HAS
WEAKENED AS SARAH ALLUDED TO
CALIFORNIA FACES HUGE CHALLENGES
, EXTREME POVERTY INEQUALITY.
CLIMATE CHANGE, EXTREME WEATHER
AND NATURAL DISASTERS, HOUSING,
AFFORDABILITY AND HOMELESSNESS,
WHICH IS A CENTERPIECE OF OUR
CONVERSATIONS HERE IN THE
LEGISLATURE, A GROWING AGING
POPULATION INCREASING NEEDS FOR
MENTAL HEALTH. UM AND THAT MEANS
WE HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG
WORKFORCE. THAT'S WHO DELIVERS
THOSE SERVICES. THESE CANNOT BE
SOLVED WITHOUT A STRONG PUBLIC
SECTOR AND ROBUST WORKFORCE. I
WOULD ARGUE THAT THE REAL
STRENGTH OF OUR PUBLIC SECTOR
COMES FROM OUR WORKFORCE AGAIN,
MANY OF THEM YOU SEE BEHIND ME.
MY MOTHER WAS A PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKER FOR MANY YEARS AND FOUND
A PATH TO THE MIDDLE CLASS
BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR. HOWEVER AS
SARAH ALLUDED TO THAT FOUNDATION
HAS BEEN ERODED UNDERMINED BY
EXPLOITIVE PRACTICES BORROWED
FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I WOULD
ARGUE I'M GOING TO OUTLINE A FEW
MAJOR CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN
THINK ABOUT, AND HOPEFULLY THIS
IS THE FIRST OF MANY HEARINGS AS
WE TRY TO EXPLORE AND THINK
ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO RE
STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATION OF
THE PUBLIC SECTOR. I'M SHORT
STAFFING AND FAILURE TO HIRE IS
PREVALENT ACROSS STATE
EMPLOYMENT AS WELL AS COUNTY
EMPLOYMENT. IT'S ONE OF THE
COURT CHALLENGES THAT WORKER
FACE THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY,
WHETHER IT'S IN FAST FOOD
RESTAURANTS AND NURSING HOME, A
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY
REGIONAL CENTER. IT IS THE
PATTERN OF DELIBERATE SHORT
STAFFING REALLY, TO SAVE MONEY
AT THE EXPENSE OF NOT ONLY THE
SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE
MOST VULNERABLE OF CALIFORNIANS
, BUT THE PUBLIC SECTOR JOB THAT
WE ALL CAN, I THINK BELIEVE WAS
THE FOUNDATION TO THE MIDDLE
CLASS, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND
PEOPLE OF COLOR. TEMPORARY AND
CONTINGENT WORK HAS GROWN MORE
RAPID, UM ACROSS THE PUBLIC
SECTOR, STATE EMPLOYMENT AS WELL
AS COUNTY EMPLOYMENT. MANY
WORKERS ARE BEING KEPT IN
CONTINGENT STATUS FOR YEARS.
TEMP WORKERS FOR YEARS. WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN? THEY'RE DOING
THE JOB OF THE STATE. THEY'RE
DELIVERING SERVICE TO THE MOST
VULNERABLE. THEY DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO BENEFITS. THEY DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO PENSIONS. THEY
DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A UNION AND
A VOICE AT THE TABLE THAT HAS
BEEN DONE DELIBERATELY SOME OF
THE PRACTICES THAT YOU FIND IN
SOME OF THE WORST EMPLOYERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY MAINLY IN THE
PRIVATE SECTOR WILL GO AFTER,
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, AND I'M
EMBARRASSED TO SAY THIS IS A
REALITY FOR PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS, WHICH ARE
THE STATE AS WELL. ANOTHER ISSUE
THAT YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT
SO MUCH AS A CONTRACTING OUT AND
OUTSOURCING. UM CONTRACTING OUT
PUBLIC SECTOR WORK HAS LED TO AN
ARRAY OF PROBLEMS, DEGRADATION
OF SERVICES SUCH AS SUBSTANCE
ABUSE TREATMENT, LABOR ABUSES,
SUCH AS WAGE THEFT IN CORPORATE
OVERCHARGING AND PROFIT
EXTRACTION AT THE COST OF PUBLIC
SECTOR SERVICES. I REALLY WANT
TO CENTER US INTO WHAT SERVICES
WE'RE PROVIDING. WHEN WE TALK IN
THE STATE ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE
THE HAVE NOTS AND THE INCOME
INEQUALITY GAP THAT WE KNOW ALSO
, WELL, THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS
THERE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO
THOSE MOST VULNERABLE SO THEY
CAN CLIMB TO SELF SUFFICIENCY.
AND FORTUNATELY WHEN THE STATE
GOES INTO RECESSION, HOPEFULLY
WE'RE NOT GETTING THERE NOW, BUT
I KNOW WE'RE IN SOME BUDGET
CRISIS. THOSE LINES FOR SERVICES
ARE OUT THE DOOR AND YOU DON'T
HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR
WORKERS THERE TO BE ABLE TO
SERVICE THEIR NEEDS. SO I WANT
US TO THINK HOPEFULLY TODAY NOT
ONLY ABOUT THE PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS AND THE DESERVING OF
SALARIES AND WAGES AND UNION
REPRESENTATION, BUT ALSO ABOUT
THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING LEFT
OFF THE TABLE TO THE MOST
VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN YOUR IN
YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR CONSTITUENTS
WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE
SERVICES FOR ALL THE REASONS
THAT I'M GOING TO LAY OUT, AND
THAT RELATES TO DECLINING
STANDARDS. WORKERS FOR THE STATE
COUNTIES AND CITIES ARE NOT
KEEPING UP. EVEN THE COST OF
LIVING IN THE STATE CONTINUES TO
SOAR. THE WAGES OF PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS REMAIN STAGNANT. IF NOT
FLAT. WE HAVE STATE WORKERS WHO
ARE HOMELESS. YOU'RE GONNA HEAR
ABOUT THAT. TODAY'S STATE
WORKERS WHO ARE HOMELESS. IT IS
EMBARRASSING. IT SHOULD BE
ASHAMED FOR ANY ONE OF US THAT
ARE GOVERNING AND THOSE ARE
ADVOCATING WITH THE GOVERNMENT
TO TRY TO MAKE CHANGE. YOU HAVE
COUNTY WORKERS WHO ARE UTILIZING
FOOD BANKS. THESE ARE JOBS THAT
FOLKS USED TO DESIRE AND HOPE TO
GET IN ORDER FOR THEM TO PROVIDE
THEIR FAMILIES AND MIDDLE CLASS
LIFE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN
PEOPLE GET THESE JOBS, NOT ONLY
DO THEY QUICKLY SEEK EMPLOYMENT
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE
IT'S SO MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE.
THEY ARE STRUGGLING AND
SOMETIMES LINING UP IN THE SAME
LINES AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY
SERVE EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO
GRAPPLE WITH. AND WE SHOULD ALL
BE ASHAMED ABOUT. THESE HIT THE
PUBLIC SERVICES THAT ARE COMING
IN A TIME WHEN CALIFORNIA'S NEW
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE
BECOMING THE MAJORITY IN PUBLIC
SERVICES. IT HAS TO CHANGE. I
WANT TO PROVIDE JUST A QUICK
ROAD MAP AND THE TIME THAT I
HAVE ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO, MAYBE
FOUR THINGS THAT TRY TO ADDRESS
THIS ISSUE. AND FILL THE
VACANCIES, RIGHT DEMAND
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ADEQUATE
STAFFING AT EVERY SINGLE LEVEL
OF GOVERNMENT IN POWER.
TEMPORARY WORKERS. WE HAVE A
BILL IN THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT
NOW, THAT'S TREATS THEM LIKE
THEY'RE VALUED AND MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE NOT TEMPORARY
WORKERS FOR LONG PERIODS OF
TIME. THEY'RE CALLED TEMP
WORKERS FOR A REASON, AS IF IT'S
TEMPORARY THAT IS BEING USED TO
CIRCUMVENT PUBLIC SECTOR WORK.
AND SAVE MONEY AT THE EXPENSE OF
NOT ONLY SERVICES BUT THE
EMPOWERMENT OF PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS SETTING STANDARDS FOR
CONTRACTING OUT, MAKING SURE
THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO USE
TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO OUTSOURCE
FOR SERVICES THAT MAYBE SOME OF
THE FOLKS THAT WERE SERVING
NEED, LET'S ENSURE THAT THERE'S
A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. LET'S
ENSURE THAT THE OUTCOMES ARE MET
WITH THE GOAL THAT YOU HAD THE
LEGISLATURE SET OUT FOR THEM TO
ACHIEVE. LET'S MAKE SURE THOSE
WORKERS MAKE COMPARABLE SALARIES
TO THOSE AT THE COUNTY OR THE
PUBLIC SECTOR LIKE RUS W. W
MEMBERS, JANITOR AND SECURITY
OFFICERS. OH, HERE AND WE'LL
TELL YOU ABOUT LATER TODAY. AND
RAISING STANDARDS ACROSS THE
BOARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. WE
CAN NO LONGER LET OUR PUBLIC
SERVANTS, STATE WORKERS AND
OTHERS KEEP FALLING BEHIND. WE
NEED TO RAISE STANDARDS ACROSS
THE BOARD, STARTING WITH A FAIR
AND STRONG CONTRACT FOR OUR
LOCAL 1000 MEMBERS THAT WILL BE
BEFORE YOU IN A SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME, AND WE'LL NEED YOUR
LEADERSHIP TO DRIVE TO THE
FINISH LINE. I WANT TO THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, AND I THINK
YOU FEEL THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM
AND JUST KNOW SC AU ON BEHALF OF
700,000 WORKERS. THERE'S MANY
MORE WHERE THIS COMES FROM, I
THINK WERE COLLECTED IN OUR
ACTION AND OUR FIGHT TOGETHER
AND AGAIN APPRECIATE YOUR
LEADERSHIP AND JOINING WITH US
TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND TALK
ABOUT SOLUTIONS. NICE JOB. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIRMAN SKINNER AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS BRIAN RICE AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS. I
HAVE THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING
NEARLY 35,000 PROFESSIONAL FIRE
SER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL
STATEWIDE. MOST OF MY MEMBERS
ARE EMPLOYED BY CITIES, COUNTIES
AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND THE
STATE. AND HAVING A STRONG
PUBLIC SECTOR WORKFORCE IS
IMPERATIVE TO THE FIRE SERVICE.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
HAVING TODAY'S HEARING.
FIREFIGHTERS AND ALL PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES DEDICATE THEIR CAREERS
TO PUBLIC SERVICE WITHIN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF
THAT DEDICATION AS A UNION. WE
FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT
FIREFIGHTERS AND PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES ARE AFFORDED
PROTECTIONS ON THE JOB AND IT
SECURITY TIRE MINT AT THE END OF
A CAREER THAT THEY HAVE LOVED
OVER THE YEARS, PARTICULARLY
DURING ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS. WE'VE
SEEN PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS
TARGET FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS
AS A PLACE TO CUT COSTS AND TO
CONTINUE TO EMPLOY AND WE
CONTINUE TO PLOY. OUR ELECTED
LEADERS TO PROTECT FIREFIGHTERS
THAT PROTECT US. FIRE
DEPARTMENTS IN THE PROVISION OF
EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE ARE
AT THEIR CORE PUBLIC SERVICES
AND SHOULD NOT BE PROFIT
MOTIVATED. EVERY CALIFORNIAN
THAT DIALS 911 OR NEEDS
ASSISTANCE FROM A FIREFIGHTER, A
PARAMEDIC, OR AN M T SHOULD ALL
EXPERIENCE THE SAME HIGH QUALITY
PUBLIC SERVICE NO MATTER WHAT OR
WHERE THEY LIVE. IN THIS CONTEXT
. I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS
OF MY SISTER TIA OR FROM S. C I
U BY RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE
EFFORTS BY EMPLOYERS. INCLUDING
THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
TO CONTRACT OUT OUR WORK. IT'S
NOT THEORETICAL. THIS JUST
HAPPENED LAST WEEK IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AT AN AIRPORT THAT
WAS CONSIDERING MOVING THEIR
FIRE PROTECTION FROM A CITY
DEPARTMENT TO A PRIVATE
CONTRACTOR. CPF STOOD IN SUPPORT
OF THE CITY, AND WE SHOULD ALL
WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT A
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE
PROVIDED BY PUBLIC EMPLOYEES,
AND I WILL SAY THAT THAT EFFORT
WAS SUCCESSFUL TO MAINTAIN THAT
SERVICE WITHIN THE CITY FIRE
DEPARTMENT. EVEN NOW IS SEVERAL
CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES HAVE
DESTROYED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
OUR STATE. WE MUST CONTINUOUSLY
FIGHT FOR THINGS LIKE SIX SAFE
STAFFING LEVELS, APPROPRIATE
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
AND WORKERS COMPENSATION SYSTEM
THAT PROVIDES CARE WHEN
FIREFIGHTERS HAVE A JOB CAUSED
INJURY OR ILLNESS. THIS. AND I
CAN TELL YOU THAT SYSTEM IS VERY
COMPLICATED. UM, FOR
FIREFIGHTERS IS PUBLIC SAFETY
OFFICERS. I CANNOT EVEN FATHOM
WHAT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS GO
THROUGH IN OTHER AREAS OF THE
WORKFORCE WITHIN OUR STATE. WE
ALSO CONTINUE TO REINFORCE THE
IMPORTANCE OF HIS SECURE
RETIREMENT FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
. WHETHER THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO
ATTACK THOSE DEFINED BENEFIT
PENSIONS IS UNSTABLE DESPITE
EXTENSIVE RESEARCH TO THE
CONTRARY, PUBLIC EMPLOYEE
PENSIONS ARE PROMISES MADE
THROUGHOUT THE SPAN OF A CAREER
AND MUST BE KEPT AGAIN. THAT
TOOL IS NOT THEORETICAL FEW
YEARS AGO. IN A CITY IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. ORANGE COUNTY, TO BE
EXACT, STARTED A FIRE DEPARTMENT
AND HAD THOSE EMPLOYEES ON A
FOUR OH ONE K PLAN, EVEN THOUGH
THE REST OF THE CITY WORKFORCE
THE ENTIRE CITY WORKFORCE,
INCLUDING POLICE OFFICERS WERE
AFFORDED A SECURE RETIREMENT
THROUGH CALPERS. WE WORKED WITH
THE LEGISLATURE TO ENSURE THAT
SAME TYPE OF ACTION WON'T A CURE
OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. BUT IT'S A
REMINDER THAT WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO STAND UP TO PROTECT
, UH, SECURE RETIREMENT FOR
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. AND AS THEY
WRAP THIS UP, I WANT TO TOUCH
BRIEFLY ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST
SUCCESSES OF THE FIRE SERVICE IN
CALIFORNIA, AND THAT'S THE
CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTER JOINT
APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEE, WHICH
SPEAKS TO THE PARTNERSHIP THAT
CAN EXIST IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
BETWEEN AN EMPLOYER. AND THEIR
WORKFORCE COLLABORATION OF TWO
STRONG AND INFLUENTIAL FORCES.
THE CAL JACK IS CO SPONSORED BY
THE OFFICE OF CALIFORNIA STATE
FIRE MARSHAL AND THE CPF. THIS
PARTNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT. LABOR
CREATES A BALANCE THAT BENEFITS
CALIFORNIA FIRE FIRE DEPARTMENTS
, FIREFIGHTERS AND, ULTIMATELY,
THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. I
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU
AS WE PROTECT THE HONOR. PUBLIC
EMPLOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. OKAY?
NEXT. WE'LL HAVE OUR SECOND
PANEL. I'M GABRIELLE GABRIEL.
MALDONADO. SANDRA BELL TRIN.
SOPHIE MARTINEZ AND LISA
PALOMBI. I HOPE I DON'T MESS UP
YOUR NAMES. TOO BAD.
AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS YOU
BEGIN. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.
HMM. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS GABRIEL MALDONADO. I'M
WITH LOCAL 8. 29 ASKED ME SAN
MATEO COUNTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR TAKING UP THE ISSUE OF
EQUITY, RESPECT AND FAIR
TREATMENT FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKERS, EVEN THOSE OF US WHO
HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE CATEGORY
OF TEMPORARY OR EXTRA HELP FOR
YEARS. I'M A YOUTH COUNSELOR FOR
THE HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY OF
CEMETERY. OH COUNTY. I WORK WITH
TEENAGERS FOSTER YOUTH WHO ARE
ENROLLED IN THE THERAPEUTIC
PROGRAM THE LAST SIX YEARS.
EXCUSE ME THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S WORTH
THAT'S BADLY NEEDED IN THE
COMMUNITY. AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S
VERY REWARDING, IT'S ALSO VERY
STRESSFUL. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS
WORK FOR THE COUNTY HAS EXTRA
HELP FOR 29 YEARS. THE NEED OF
FOSTER YOUTH DIDN'T TAKE PAUSE
DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND NEITHER
DID WE BECAUSE OF OUR DEDICATION
TO OUR COMMUNITIES. YOUTH WE
SHOWED UP EVERY DAY. NEARLY HALF
OF MY COWORKERS ARE EXTRA HELP
OR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES LIKE ME
IN SAN MATEO COUNTY. A LOT OF
OUR EXTRA HELP WORKERS HAVE BEEN
WORKING 5 10 15 YEARS, NEARLY
HALF OF ALL THE EXTRA HELP
WORKERS ARE WORKING 40 HOURS A
WEEK. YOU CAN'T REALLY CALL
THESE POSITIONS, SEX OR HELP
ANYMORE. THAT'S A DECEPTION. WE
ARE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME WORK
AS PERMANENT STAFF EMPLOYEES
WITHOUT RECEIVING ANY BENEFITS
LIKE PENSION. MEDICAL TIME OFF
SICK TIME OR RETIREMENT
SECURITY. MY STATUS BECAME TRULY
FRUSTRATING DURING THE PANDEMIC
, LIKE ALL EXTRA HELP, I WAS
EXPERIENCING THE SAME LEVEL OF
RISK AS MY PERMANENT CO WORKERS
. MY FAMILY WAS JUST AS MUCH AT
RISK AS THEIRS. BUT I DO NOT
HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SICK TIME
TO RECOVER FROM COVID. IT IS NOT
A GOOD FEELING TO BE TREATED AS
A SECOND CLASS. WHEN YOU SHOW UP
EVERY DAY, PUTTING YOUR WHOLE
HEART INTO YOUR WORK. IT'S NOT
RIGHT TO HAVE A TWO TIER SYSTEM
WHERE YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES WORKING
POSITIONS. THERE SHOULD BE
PERMANENT WORK. COUNTIES ARE
GIVING THOSE WORKERS THE ABILITY
TO BECOME PERMANENT EMPLOYEES.
IT'S AN EQUITY ISSUE AS WELL.
70% OF EXTRA HELP WORKERS IN MY
COUNTY, SAN MATEO, ARE WOMEN.
65% OF THE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE OF
COLOR. 45% OF THE EXTRA HELP
WORKERS WORK FULL TIME HOURS.
WHEN WE RAISED THE THESE WHEN WE
WHEN WE RAISED THESE INEQUITIES
AT THE BARGAINING TABLE, WE ARE
RETALIATED AGAINST ONE OF MY
COLLEAGUES AND FELLOW BARGAINING
TEAM MEMBER FROM S E I. U WAS
FIRED. WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS
AND CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT TO
BRING HER AND ALL HER WORKERS
WHO WERE RETALIATED AGAINST
BACK. WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE
EXCUSE ME. THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE
WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE PART
OF A UNION AND STAND TOGETHER
AGAINST THIS KIND OF GROSS
UNFAIRNESS IN RETALIATION. BUT
EVERY PUBLIC SERVICE WORKER
DESERVES A VOICE RESPECT, FAIR
WAGES, BENEFITS AND FAIR
TREATMENT. THIS YEAR, WE ARE
ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF A B
14 84 AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS
JUSTICE FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS,
BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE TO BE
DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THESE
ISSUES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY?
GOOD MORNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING FROM US
WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINE
SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES. MY NAME
IS SANDRA BELTRAN. AND I AM A
PROUD NURSE IN THE COMMUNITY OF
SYLMAR AT ALL OF YOU. MEDICAL
CENTER. I AM AN EMERGENCY ROOM
NURSE. I WORK IN THE SAME
COMMUNITY WHERE I WAS BORN AND
RAISED. I HELPED SAVE THE LIVES
OF HARD WORKING PEOPLE AND THEIR
FAMILIES. MANY OF US PROUD TO
HAVE PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
WHO IMMIGRATED TO THIS COMMUNITY
AND THIS COUNTRY. I'LL LEAVE YOU
AS A PUBLIC HOSPITAL AND THE
SAFETY NET INSTITUTION, BUT OUR
SAFETY NET IS ITSELF IN DANGER.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
OUR STAFF HAS DECLINED IN THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. NOW MORE
THAN HALF OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE
WHAT WE CALL TRAVELERS. TRAVEL
NURSES OR CONTRACT. NURSES ARE
TEMPORARY HIRED NURSES THAT
TRAVELED TO THE COMMUNITIES
OFTEN FOR A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS
AT A TIME. TO HELP WHERE THERE'S
A NURSING STAFF SHORTAGE.
TRAVELERS ARE DROPPING INTO OUR
HOSPITAL TO FILL THE HUGE AND
GROWING STAFFING GAP. THEY ARE
FROM MISSISSIPPI, ARIZONA AND
ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. THEY
ARE NOT ROUTED HERE AND MOST
DON'T PLAN TO STAY. THEY ARE
THEY ARE PAID FAR MORE THAN OUR
PERMANENT STAFF. SOMETIMES 3 TO
4 TIMES MORE THAN WHAT WE GET
PAID. THIS IS NOT A DESIRABLE,
DESIRABLE OR SUSTAINABLE
SOLUTION. WE NEED TO REBUILD OUR
OWN PERMANENT STAFF. IN THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. EVERYTHING
IS GO, GO, GO. NEW STAFF WITH
LITTLE TRAINING. AS LITTLE AS
THREE DAYS IN OUR SYSTEMS AND
PROTOCOLS CAN EASILY INTERRUPT
THE FLOW OR MAKE MISTAKES. FOR
EXAMPLE, I REMEMBER RECENTLY.
THERE WAS A PATIENT WHO WAS IN
CRITICAL NEED OF A BLOOD
TRANSFUSION. A TRAVELER WAS
BEHIND AND DROPPED THE BALL AND
EITHER DIDN'T OR COULDN'T GET TO
IT. FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO
PULL THIS PATIENT BACK INTO
STABILITY, BUT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE
EVEN REACHED TO THAT POINT. THIS
IS NOT QUALITY CARE. MY
COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER. WE
ALL DESERVE BETTER. DURING THE
TERRIFYING DARK DAYS OF THE
PANDEMIC. MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS
CAME INTO THE HOSPITAL IN A
STATE OF FEAR. AND PANIC. THEY
COULDN'T EVEN BREATHE. THEY CAME
AND GASPING FOR AIR. SOME OF
THEM WERE EVEN TAKING THEIR LAST
BREATHS. WE JUMPED IN AND GAVE
THEM HIGH FLOW OXYGEN WE GAVE
THEM I V S AND AT THE END OF
LONG DAYS OF BATTLING THE
DISEASE, DISTRESS AND DEATH, WE
WOULD GO HOME. TAKE OUR SCRUBS
OFF IN OUR GARAGE AND RUN
UPSTAIRS TO SHOWER SO WE
COULDN'T INFECT OUR FAMILIES.
THE NEXT DAY, WE WOULD GO
THROUGH THE SAME THING. AT THAT
TIME I HAVE TO SAY THAT AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WE
HAD A STRONGER WORKFORCE AND
THEN SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN OR
TOWARDS THE END, WE HAD
TRAVELERS. GRATEFUL THAT SOMEONE
CAN COME FILL THAT GAP, BUT
THEY'RE NOT DEDICATED. IT'S NOT
THE SAME THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS
GETTING THAT CARE THAT WE ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE PROMOTING. WE ARE
NOT GIVING THEM THAT QUALITY
CARE. I HAVE A PATIENT. I HAD A
PATIENT THREE DAYS AGO. I WILL
TELL YOU A SHORT STORY. THIS
GENTLEMAN, UM HE WAS LIKE 65
YEARS OLD BLOOD PRESSURE WAS 230
OVER 1 20. THAT IS WHY HIGH, AND
THAT IS DANGEROUS FOR HIM. HE
COULD BE HAVING A STROKE. OR UM
, AM I WHICH IS A HEART ATTACK?
SO HE LOOKED PRETTY CALM. BUT
EVERYONE WAS SCARED FOR HIM. I
SPOKE TO HIM AND I ASKED HIM. DO
YOU TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS FOR
BLOOD PRESSURE, HE SAID, WHEN I
HAVE A HEADACHE SO I EXPLAINED
THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A HEADACHE,
THAT'S BAD, SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE
IT EVERY DAY. I EXPLAINED TO HIM
HOW A CAR NEEDS TO GET A TUNE UP
AND IT'S THE SAME THING WITH OUR
BODIES. WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF
IT BECAUSE IT WILL BREAK DOWN.
BUT THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE CAR
YOU CAN BUY A PART AND MAYBE
MAKE IT LESS LONGER, BUT WITH
OUR BODIES WE CANNOT BUY PARTS.
SO I TOOK THE TIME TO EXPLAIN
THIS. HE WAS VERY THANKFUL. WHY
IS IT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR
PATIENTS GO THROUGH THAT. I
NOTICED HE HAD RECENTLY BEEN IN
THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WHEN HE
WAS DISCHARGED. THAT COULD HAVE
BEEN THE TIME TO TEACH HIM
SOMETHING SO SIMPLE. SOME OF
THESE TRAVELERS AGAIN. I'M
GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE HELP, BUT
THAT'S NOT THE SOLUTION. THEY'RE
NOT EVEN TAKING THE TIME TO
EXPLAIN WHAT WE DO IN THE
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE
CAN PREVENT THEM FROM COMING IN,
OR EVEN LOSING THEIR LIFE. SO I
CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW
FRIGHTENING IT WILL BE. IF WE
EVER HAVE A PANDEMIC, AND WE
HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE. I
URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE DECLINE
OF OUR PUBLIC SECTOR WORKFORCE A
TRUE STATE OF EMERGENCY. WE NEED
TO BUILD BACK OUR STRENGTH AND
OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR
COMMUNITIES, NEIGHBORS AND
FAMILIES. JUST ONE QUICK THOUGHT
IS THAT IT'S NOT YOU ON THAT
SIDE. IT'S NOT US ON THIS SIDE.
WE'RE ALL TOGETHER. SO HOW CAN
WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE
CALIFORNIA STRONGER? THANK YOU.
MÁS TAMARA'S ADORES. THE
STARTING TO STAY THIS MINIMUM
BRACE SOPHIA MARTINEZ.
ADMINISTRATION CONDADO DE SAN
DIEGO SAN NEWS. UM HI. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS ARACELI WITH
S E I U S, W W AND I WILL BE
TRANSLATING ON BEHALF OF MS
SOPHIA. DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE? THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS SOPHIA
MARTINEZ. I HAVE WORKED AS A
JANITOR AT THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY
AND MINISTRATIONS BUILDING FOR
10 YEARS PAYS. ARAMBULA TERIYAKI
AND THERE'S THE COMMITTEE. HÌ
SENOR CONTRERAS HOSTAGES. TODAY
IN MY COUNTRY, WE CELEBRATE
MOTHER'S DAY. I AM A SINGLE
MOTHER AND I AM HERE BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE LARGELY FOR MY SON TO
TEACH HIM THAT WE MUST FIGHT
AGAINST INJUSTICE. MATTHEW NANO
ORGANISM. MOST SUPERB HISTORICAL
CONDOS. SAN DIEGO. POLITICAL
CONTRACTORS TO RESPONSIBLY.
ADORES DOES NOT ANY AMMO,
SUCCESSFUL POSSIBILITY. ASEAN'S
PAGODAS NADYA'S INFIRMITY THAT
MEDICAL ACCESSIBLY. HANDLE
MINIMUM IN THE RITUAL ONE
SINDICATO. A LITTLE OVER A YEAR
AGO, MY COWORKERS AND I
ORGANIZED TO ENSURE THAT THE SAN
DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS APPROVED A POLICY
FOR RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS
BEFORE A FIGHT SUBCONTRACTED
WORKERS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY DID
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE
POSSIBILITY OF PAID VACATION
DAYS. SICK DAYS, AFFORDABLE
HEALTH INSURANCE OR THE RIGHT TO
FORM A UNION. THE RASCAL PHOEBE
VICTIMS REPRESENT DÍAS PORNO
GARMENT CO. SO NOVA LICCARDO
TRABAJO. THE ROAD. ILYAS PUERTO
SANDOZ CHEMICALS, ORTEZ. GET
GOES OUT ON SAN GRADO DE
MINISTRIES WITH PERDIDA CUANDO
SE I SAY YES. BECAUSE I LED
EFFORTS TO FORM A UNION. I
BECAME A VICTIM OF RETALIATION
FOR REFUSING TO GIVE INTO THE
HARASSMENT AND EXPLOITATION OF
MY EMPLOYER, NOVA. I WAS FORCED
TO WORK ON MY KNEES FOR AN
ENTIRE SHIFT, AND YOU'RE STRONG
CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE NOSEBLEEDS
. I WAS FIRED WHEN I REFUSED TO
CONTINUE TO BE HUMILIATED.
CONTRAST THREE CONDADO ALI
NORTHWEST AROUND SERVICIOS
OLYMPIA ESTÁ. TODAY IS A
CONTRACTOR ROBO SALARY, ALS
EXPERIMENTING. THAT WAS NOT THE
FIRST TIME A COUNTY CONTRACTOR
VIOLATED THE LAW BEFORE NOVA THE
COUNTY CONTRACTED WITH AN M S
FOR JANITORIAL SERVICES. THE
COUNTY TERMINATED THAT CONTRACT
AFTER REPEATED WAGE THE
VIOLATIONS, WHICH I ALSO
EXPERIENCED. CONDO OFFICIAL
GOVERNMENTAL PARTY. BUT YOU KNOW
THE. POBREZA SER VICTIMAS CONTRE
TOUS TAS PUBLICOS NOT EVEN USE
FINANCIER POBREZA. WE CONTINUE
TO FIGHT BECAUSE WORKERS WHO
CLEAN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS FOR
ONE OF THE RICHEST GOVERNMENTS
IN THE WORLD SHOULDN'T HAVE TO
LIVE IN POVERTY OR BE VICTIMIZED
BY THEIR CONTRACTORS. PUBLIC
DOLLARS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO
FUND POVERTY JOBS. RAMOS.
BECAUSE. PREVENTIVA ASAMBLEÍSTA
SANTIAGO. MR PRODI PROJECT A
DELAY. THE LOCAL COMPRESSES
HILARIOUS. THIS IS AN ASSOCIATE
TO SER WHICH IS GRACIAS. WE HOPE
YOU WILL JOIN US BY SUPPORTING
MAYBE 5 TO 0 BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
SANTIAGO. THIS BILL WOULD
DISCOURAGE OUR STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS FROM CONTRACTING
WITH PROPERTY SERVICE COMPANIES
WHO MISTREAT WORKERS. BUT MUCH
MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE. THANK YOU
. GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THANK YOU FOR
TAKING THE TIME TO HAVE THIS
INFORMATION HEARING AND FOR
LISTENING TO FRONTLINE WORKERS.
MY NAME IS LISA PALOMBI AND I'VE
BEEN SERVING THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES AS A PUBLIC LIBRARIAN
FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I SERVED MY
COLLEAGUES, UM BY BEING THE
PRESIDENT OF THE LIBRARIAN
SKILLED, WHICH IS LOCAL 26 26 OF
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE
, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL
EMPLOYEES, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS F
SMEE. EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
BEGAN, OUR LIBRARIES WERE
UNDERSTAFFED DUE TO VARY SLOW
RECOVERY FROM THE RECESSION OF
2009. WE HAD NOT YET RESTORED
NOR FILLED ALL THE POSITIONS
LOST DURING THAT ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT.
THANKFULLY THE CITY DID NOT LAY
A SOF. BUT MANY PUBLIC
LIBRARIANS IN OUR SYSTEM AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY LEFT PUBLIC
SERVICE FOR FEAR OF BEING
EXPOSED TO LIFE THREATENING
VIRUS. THEY RETIRED. THEY FOUND
OTHER WORK THEY COULD DO
REMOTELY, OR THEY MOVED HOME TO
CARE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS. BUT
REALLY, THE VIRUS WAS JUST ONE
MORE THING TO BE AFRAID OF.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. WE WERE
RECEIVING ACTIVE SHOOTER
TRAINING, NARCAN TRAINING AND DE
ESCALATION TRAINING. THERE WAS
NO AVOIDING THE FACT THAT PUBLIC
FACILITIES LIKE LIBRARIES, PARKS
AND TRANSIT SYSTEMS WERE TURNING
INTO DEFECT. OH SOCIAL SERVICE
AGENCIES AND SHELTERS BY
PROVIDING RESTROOMS, WATER
FOUNTAINS, RESPITE FROM THE
WEATHER AND PLACES TO SIMPLY SIT
FOR OUR UNHAPPY HOUSED
NEIGHBORS. PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND
LIBRARIANS WERE USED TO FILLING
IN THE GAPS. OUR SUMMER READING
PROGRAMS HELP FILL THE GAP
BETWEEN ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEARS
ADULT LITERACY CENTERS AND
CAREER ONLINE HIGH SCHOOLS FILL
THE GAP LEFT BY OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM AND CALIFORNIA
HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEMS. THESE
SKILLS ARE IN OUR LIFELONG
LEARNING WHEELHOUSE. BUT FILLING
THE GAP IN THE SOCIAL SERVICE
SAFETY NET FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
NO PERMANENT HOUSING AND PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HAD ALL OF THEIR
IDENTIFICATION STOLEN FROM THEM.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOWHERE TO WASH
THEMSELVES NOR THEIR CLOTHING
AND PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA OF BEING
UNSHELTERED THAT THAT'S NOT IN
OUR WHEELHOUSE. WHEN PUBLIC
LIBRARIES ARE UNDERSTAFFED. THE
REMAINING EMPLOYEES HAVE TO PICK
UP THE WORKLOAD OF OUR MISSING
CO WORKERS JUST TO KEEP THE
DOORS OPEN, WHICH WE ARE
REQUIRED TO DO WHEN WE FUNCTION
AS COOLING AND SEVERE WEATHER
CENTERS. AND IT'S SIMPLE MATH
WHEN YOUR VACANCY RATE IS 25%
BUT YOUR OPERATIONS REMAIN AT
100 100% CAPACITY. YOUR
EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING MORE.
THEY'RE WORKING FASTER AND
THEY'RE WORKING HARDER. AND WHEN
YOUR VACANCY RATE IS 25% OVER A
SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME, SUCH
AS YEARS, THE OVERALL EFFECT ON
THE WORKFORCE IS PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL BURNOUT AND EVEN WORSE
COMPASSION FATIGUE. PUBLIC
LIBRARIAN SHIP IS A MISSION
DRIVEN FIELD AND TRADITIONALLY,
LIBRARIANS WHO CHOOSE TO ENTER
THE PUBLIC SECTOR DO SO WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE REWARDS
OF A LONG CAREER OF SERVICE OR
TO RETIRE WITH DIGNITY BY WAY OF
A LIVABLE PENSION AND AFFORDABLE
HEALTHCARE. BUT EVERY YEAR, OUR
UNIONS HAVE TO FEND OFF ATTACKS
ON THOSE PUBLIC SERVICE,
PENSIONS AND BENEFITS, AND IT'S
NOT LOST ON THE NEWEST
GENERATION OF PUBLIC LIBRARIANS
THAT OUR PROFESSION IS UNDER
ATTACK. THEY SEE THE BOOK
BANNING ATTEMPTS THE PUNITIVE
BUDGET RESTRICTIONS. THE DRAG
QUEEN PROTESTS, THE POLITICAL
FIRINGS AND THE ASSAULTS AND
EVEN MURDERS OF LIBRARY STAFF.
LATELY THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC
LIBRARY HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO
FILL THE POSITIONS THAT USED TO
BE SO DEARLY SOUGHT AFTER OFFERS
MADE OR TURNED DOWN AT AN
ALARMING RATE, AND THE
CANDIDATES TELL US THE
PROCESSING TIME TO GET THROUGH
CIVIL SERVICE. HIRING IS TOO
LONG. THE STARTING SALARIES ARE
TOO LOW. THE EARLY CAREER
COMPENSATED TIME OFF, SUCH AS
SICK TIME AND VACATION TIME
FALLS TOO SHORT FOR A HEALTHY
WORK LIFE BALANCE. AND THE
ALLURE OF A GOOD PENSION AND
ONGOING HEALTH CARE IN THE
FUTURE. IS NOT ENOUGH TO ATTRACT
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE LEARNED TO
LIVE BOUNTIFUL E IN THE PRESENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME
THIS MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK ON THESE ISSUES. THANK
YOU GUYS SO MUCH. OUR NEXT PANEL
WILL BE JEFF FREE TESTS. DAVID
SCHAPIRA AND MATT MASON. I
PROBABLY BUTCHERED YOU GUYS NAME
BUT I'M SORRY FOR THAT.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS YOU BEGIN.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY NAME
IS JEFF FRANCIS ON THE PRESIDENT
OF CFT, A UNION OF EDUCATORS AND
CLASSIFIED PROFESSIONALS. I'M A
HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER BY
TRADE AND A BASKETBALL COACH AND
I'LL LEAVE IT THERE BY JOY. UM
UH, THIS IS A TEACHER
APPRECIATION WEEK AND A COUPLE
OF WEEKS IS CLASSIFIED
APPRECIATION WEEK AND WE
APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE HAVING
THIS HEARING AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING THIS HEARING TO TALK
ABOUT OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION
SYSTEM AND THE WORKERS WHO WORK
IN THOSE SYSTEMS. JUST AS A
REMINDER THE PURPOSE OF OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES TO
HELP IMPROVE OUR SOCIETY IN OUR
COMMUNITY. UM WE'RE FOCUSED ON
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE
CRITICAL THINKERS WHO ARE PART
OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND
CONTRIBUTING TO OUR SOCIETY.
SOME OF THAT CONTRIBUTION IS
SOMETIMES BY WORKERS, SOMETIMES
BY INVENTORS AND SOMETIMES BY
PEOPLE WHO ENRICH OUR LIVES LIKE
THE LAKERS AND THE WARRIORS. AH
BUT THAT IS WHAT PUBLIC
EDUCATION DOES, AND THAT'S THE
PURPOSE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
ECONOMICALLY IN MANY SMALL TOWNS
, PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
ARE OUR NUMBER ONE EMPLOYERS ARE
BIGGEST EMPLOYERS. IN FACT, THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IS
EITHER SECOND OR THIRD. I THINK
IT FLUCTUATES THERE EVERY ONCE
IN A WHILE. BUT UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA ITSELF IS ONE OF THE
LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. SO IT IS VERY
INTEGRAL ECONOMICALLY TO OUR
COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS A
REINVESTMENT BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITIES AND THE SOCIETY AND
THE STATE, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT
AS WELL. BUT WE HAVE MANY
CHALLENGES AND WE'VE HAD MANY
CHALLENGES TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
AND COLLEGES THAT FACE THE
WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE THAT FACES
THE STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE. UM
AND THE FACE OUR PUBLIC
EDUCATION SYSTEM ITSELF. UM WE
HAVE AN EDUCATION STAFFING
CRISIS HERE IN CALIFORNIA. IN
FACT, WE HAVE AN EDUCATION STAFF
AND CRISIS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY, AND I AND I USE THE
TERM BROADLY. EDUCATION WORKERS
, UM, AND REFERENCE EVERYBODY,
UM, THAT CAUSES UNSAFE, UNCLEAN
OR OVER CLAP CROWDED ENVIRONMENT
FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO THIS IS A
DIRECT EFFECT ON WHAT OUR
STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING AND
THEN HIGHER EDUCATION WERE ALSO
OVER. RELIANT UH, ERROR ON THE
SIDE OF OVER RELIANCE ON
CONTINGENT FACULTY THAT ARE
DISINVESTED AT THAT POINT,
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL SO
MANY TIMES TO DO SO MANY
DIFFERENT JOBS. SO LET ME GET
INTO A FEW OF THESE ISSUES.
EDUCATION STAFFING CRISIS, THE
EFFECTS OF THE EDUCATION STAFF
STAFFING CRISIS. WE CAN SEE IN
OUR SYSTEM. WE CAN SEE THAT IT
IS STARTING TO BREAK DOWN OR
PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT WE ARE NOT
GETTING THE QUALIFIED UM OR EVEN
THE NUMBERS OF VACANCIES IN OUR
EDUCATION SYSTEM. RECENT POLLING
, UH AND RESEARCH FROM THE
NATIONAL LEVEL. WE HAVE ABOUT
45% OF THE SCHOOLS IN OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS REPORT VACANCIES
THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY IN THE
WESTERN STATES ALONE. IT'S 59.
HOW WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR
PERSONAL SITUATION. WE ARE
SEEING MANY PEOPLE DOING
MULTIPLE JOBS AND NOT JUST
FOCUSED ON THE SCHOOL. THEY HAVE
TO LEAVE OFTEN, RIGHT AFTER AND
GO DO EITHER UBER OR LEFT,
HOPEFULLY THEIR EMPLOYEES OF
THOSE CORPORATIONS AS A B FIVE
WE FOUGHT FOR UM. BUT WHAT IS
THE CAUSE WE ARE UNDER ATTACK
DAY IN AND DAY OUT ABOUT THE
WORK THAT WE DO? OUR ACADEMIC
FREEDOM IS UNDER ATTACK. THE
TEACHING OF TRUE HISTORY IS
UNDER ATTACK, PROTECTING THE
STUDENTS RIGHTS TO BE WHO THEY
ARE IS UNDER ATTACK. WE ARE
SEEING THE DIVISION OF OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, EITHER
THROUGH AND OTHER STATES
VOUCHERS OR CHARTER SCHOOLS OR
HOME SCHOOLING OPTIONS. LOOK AT
WHAT HAPPENED IN OHIO AND HOW
THE HOMESCHOOLING IS AFFECTING
THOSE STUDENTS. BUT I CAN GO
MORE INTO THAT IF YOU WANT MORE.
THE LACK OF FUNDING UM PROP 13
CUT EDUCATION FUNDING IN OUR
STATE. WE HAVE TRIED TO SECURE
THAT WITH PROP 98 THAT IS A
FLOOR, ALTHOUGH OFTEN VOTED ON
AS A CEILING IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. UM WE ARE THE FOURTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD
WHEN I SAY WE, THE CALIFORNIA IS
THE FOURTH LARGEST ECONOMY IN
THE WORLD, BUT WE ARE MIDDLING
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PER
PUPIL FUNDING, AND THAT IS A
CAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AS
WELL AS THE AFFORDABILITY. WHILE
IF I TALK ABOUT TEACHERS ARE
AVERAGE PAY IS PRETTY HIGH
COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY, BUT WE ARE THE MOST
EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE COMPARED
TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. UM
SO THERE WERE. THOSE ARE THOSE
ARE SOME OF THE CAUSES ABOUT OUR
EDUCATION, STAFFING CRISIS. SOME
OF THE SOLUTIONS FUNDING IS A
MAJOR ISSUE AGAIN QUOTING FOURTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD,
BUT MENTALLY AND FUNDING WORKING
CONDITIONS. MANY EMPLOYEES, UM,
TALKING ABOUT ALL EDUCATION
EMPLOYEES, AND NOT TO GET TOO
FAR ARE PART TIME OR THE PAY IS
TOO LOW OR THE TIME TO PREPARE
IS NOT OFFERED OR COLLABORATE
WITH OTHER EDUCATORS OR THE
WORKLOAD OF THE CLASS SIZES ARE
TOO LARGE, AND WE ARE HOPING TO
ADDRESS THAT. IN HIGHER
EDUCATION IN TERMS OF THE YOU
KNOW, UM, KEEP THIS SHORT THE
CONTINGENT FACULTY ISSUE. WE
RECENTLY GOT HEALTHCARE FOR PART
TIME FACULTY AND COMMUNITY
COLLEGES. BUT THAT'S ONLY IN OUR
COMMUNITY COLLEGES. WE NEED TO
ALSO ADDRESS THAT IN OUR OTHER
FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS. WE NEED
TO ADDRESS THEIR RIGHTS TO DUE
PROCESS, THEIR ACADEMIC FREEDOM
AND THE RESPECT THAT WHEN
SOMEBODY IS TEACHING DOWN THE
HALL WHEN A PART TIMER
CONTINGENT FACULTY IS TEACHING
DOWN THE HALL FROM A FULL TIMER
THAT THEY ARE TEACHING THE SAME
THING. THEY'RE PROVIDING THE
SAME EDUCATION TO THE SAME
STUDENTS, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE
TREATED AS SECOND CLASS
CITIZENS, AS WAS REFERRED
EARLIER, AND THOSE ARE SOME OF
THE THINGS WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN
OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND
THE LAST THING I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IS THAT ARE WORKING
CONDITIONS ARE THEY'RE LEARNING
CONDITIONS OF THE STUDENTS. IF
WE DON'T HAVE SMALL CLASS SIZES.
IF WE DON'T HAVE CLEAN
CLASSROOMS. THOSE ARE OUR
WORKING CONDITIONS. BUT THOSE
ARE THE SAME AS OUR LEARNING
CONDITIONS OF THE STUDENTS, AND
IT'S REALLY I WENT INTO TEACHING
BECAUSE I WANT TO AND I CARED
ABOUT. I WASN'T GOING TO BECOME
A MILLIONAIRE. I KNEW I WASN'T
GOING TO BECOME ELON MUSK AND
FLY INTO SPACE, BUT I KNEW. I
WANTED TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE
STUDENTS AND TEACHING EVERY
STUDENT THAT CAME INTO MY
CLASSROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
COULD ACHIEVE WHAT THEY WANTED
TO ACHIEVE, WHETHER THAT WAS AN
ARTIST. BASKETBALL PLAYER, A
WORKER, A PIPE FITTER, PUBLIC
EMPLOYEE, WHATEVER THEY WANTED
TO DO ACHIEVE. THAT WAS MY GOAL
AS A TEACHER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE
DO. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS
. YOU KNOW. GOOD MORNING, MADAM
CHAIR. MY NAME IS DAVID
SCHAPIRA. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AT THE
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION. REPRESENTS ABOUT A
QUARTER MILLION CLASSIFIED
EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. OUR MEMBERS GET
CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. THEY ENSURE
THAT THEY HAVE A MEAL TO EAT
WHEN THEY GET THERE. WE SUPPORT
STUDENTS IN CLASSROOMS. AND WE
ENSURE THAT SAFE AND HEALTHY
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE
STAFF. AND, OF COURSE, THE
STUDENTS. OUR MEMBERS ARE
ESSENTIAL. THEY GET THE
BUILDINGS OPENED IN THE MORNING.
THEY CLOSE THEM DOWN AT NIGHT.
AND THEY WERE NEVER MORE
ESSENTIAL THAN DURING THE
PANDEMIC. THE MAJORITY OF OUR
MEMBERS WORKED IN PERSON ON
SCHOOL CAMPUSES DURING THE
PANDEMIC. OUR MEMBERS ENSURED
THAT KIDS HAD MEALS. WHEN
STUDENTS MANY STUDENTS RELY ON
SCHOOL MEALS IS THEIR ONLY
NUTRITIOUS MEALS OF THE DAY.
MANY OF OUR BUS DRIVERS
DELIVERED MEALS TO CHILDREN IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE HAD I T
PROFESSIONALS WHO ENSURE THAT
THEY HAD ACCESS TO DISTANCE
LEARNING. WE HAD PAIR EDUCATORS.
WHO WERE IN CLASSROOMS OFTEN
TIMES ON ZOOM SUPPORTING
STUDENTS, EVEN WHEN THERE WAS NO
ONE ELSE IN THE ROOM. THEY WOULD
SUPPORT THEM OVER ZOOM. AND SO
OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, AND
THEY ARE EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL NOW
AS WE TRY TO RECOVER FROM THE
LOST OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE
PANDEMIC TO ENSURE THAT OUR
STUDENTS HAD ACCESS TO THE BEST
EDUCATION POSSIBLE. ARE AS MR
FRIDA'S MENTIONED ARE WORKING
ENVIRONMENT IS OUR STUDENTS
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND THAT
ENVIRONMENT IS NOT. AH. NOT
FILLING THE NEEDS OF OUR
STUDENTS OR OUR STAFF AS OF
TODAY. WE RECENTLY SURVEYED OUR
MEMBERS IN CALIFORNIA. WHO ARE
MAJORITY PART TIME MAJORITY
WOMEN MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED IN THIS
SURVEY, AND I'M GONNA SUMMARIZE
SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE
COLLECTED. BUT WHAT WE LEARNED
IN THIS SURVEY. IS THAT THIS
CRISIS THAT MR FRIDA'S REFERRED
TO THIS WORKFORCE CRISIS IS NOT
A SHORTAGE. THERE ARE PLENTY OF
PEOPLE THAT ARE READY AND
WILLING AND CAPABLE OF SERVING
IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THIS
STATE. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER
WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO ARE
WILLING TO TAKE A VOW OF
POVERTY. BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF
OUR MEMBERS THE MAJORITY OF
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES IN
CALIFORNIA MAKE LESS THAN
$30,000 A YEAR PROCESS THAT FOR
A SECOND. IF YOU IF THAT WAS
FULL TIME OVER THE COURSE OF A
YEAR THAT WOULD BE LESS THAN
MINIMUM WAGE. MORE THAN HALF OF
MEMBERS MAKE LESS THAN $30,000 A
YEAR. SO YOU HAVE TO FIND PEOPLE
WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE A VOW OF
POVERTY. TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE
IN VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS
ACROSS THE STATE. AND ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR A LOT.
ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT WE
HEAR MADE A LOT BY MANAGEMENT
GROUPS IN THIS STATE. AH, IS
THAT THEY CAN'T FIND PEOPLE.
THAT THEY CAN'T FILL JOBS. AND
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE VACANCIES
ACROSS THE STATE. AND THE
REALITY IS THAT THAT WE LEARNED
IN THIS SURVEY IS THAT 74% OF
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES IN
CALIFORNIA IF OFFERED ADDITIONAL
HOURS WOULD TAKE THEM. SO YOU
THINK ABOUT ALL THESE VACANT
POSITIONS ALL ABOUT ALL OF THIS
WORK THAT'S GOING UNDONE. ALL OF
THIS SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS
THAT IS LACKING IN OUR EDUCATION
SYSTEM. 74% OF CLASSIFIED
EMPLOYEES WOULD TAKE MORE HOURS
IF OFFERED. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE
SOME LEGISLATION THAT I'M GONNA
TALK ABOUT IN JUST A FEW
MINUTES, BUT I WANT TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
CONDITIONS THAT ARE MEMBERS ARE
FACING IN THIS STATE. 40% OF
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES IN
CALIFORNIA DO NOT GET HEALTH
CARE FROM THEIR EMPLOYER. SO WE
ALL KNOW THAT IN THIS COUNTRY,
WE HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT BASED
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. 40% OF
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES IN
CALIFORNIA DO NOT GET HEALTH
CARE FROM THEIR EMPLOYER. 44% OF
CALIFORNIA. CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES
ARE WORRIED. THAT THEY COULD
LOSE THEIR HOME IN THE NEXT
YEAR. BECAUSE OF INABILITY TO
PAY THEIR RENT OR THEIR
MORTGAGE. 44% ALMOST HALF OF
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES IN
CALIFORNIA. SO YOU JUST HAVE TO
REMEMBER WHEN YOU DROP YOUR KID
OFF AT THE BUS STOP, AND THAT
BUS DRIVER PICKS HIM UP THAT
DRIVER WHO'S PICKING THEM UP?
44% OF THOSE FOLKS ARE CONCERNED
THEY MIGHT LOSE THEIR HOME. THE
PERSON SERVING YOUR KID'S MEALS
. 44% OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED THEY MIGHT HAVE A
PLACE TO LIVE. 52% OF CLASSIFIED
EMPLOYEES ARE CONCERNED THAT IN
THE NEXT YEAR THIS IS A MAJORITY
52% OF CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES ARE
CONCERNED THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR
THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD
FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILY. TO PUT A
MEAL ON THEIR TABLE. WE HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT THAT CUSTODIAN
WHO'S CLEANING THE SCHOOL
CAMPUS. IS CONCERNED THAT IN THE
NEXT YEAR THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE
TO FEED THEIR FAMILY. THAT
TEACHER'S AIDE WHO'S IN THE
CLASSROOM SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD
TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE CAUGHT
UP. IS CONCERNED. 52% OF THEM
ARE CONCERNED THAT THEY WON'T BE
ABLE TO FEED THEIR FAMILY IN THE
NEXT YEAR. THE STATISTICS ARE
STAGGERING AND THERE IS A
SOLUTION. THERE'S A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION SPONSORED BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MCCARTHY A B 16
99 THAT WE ARE PROUD TO CO
SPONSOR WITH CFT AND SOME OF OUR
SISTER UNIONS. TO ENSURE THAT
WHEN A VACANCY EXISTS IN A
SCHOOL DISTRICT IS POSTING A
PART OR A FULL TIME JOB. THAT
THAT JOB FIRST OFFERED TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE ALREADY WORKING IN THAT
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THAT
CLASSIFICATION. AND THAT IF NONE
OF THOSE FOLKS WANT TO TAKE THAT
JOB THAT THEY OFFERED TO PEOPLE
WHO CAN FIT IT INTO THEIR
SCHEDULES AND OTHER
CLASSIFICATIONS. SO LET ME
EXPLAIN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
ARE HAPPENING IN THE STATE ON
THIS FRONT. WE HAVE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. THEY HAVE ESSENTIALLY
FULL TIME PARA EDUCATOR JOB A
JOB THAT IS A PERSON WHOSE JOB
IS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN THE
CLASSROOM. AND THEY WILL SPLIT
THAT POSITION IN TWO WE HAVE A
MEMBER. WHO WORKS IN ONE
DISTRICT IN THE MORNING. AND
DRIVES TO ANOTHER SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN THE AFTERNOON TO DO
THE SAME JOB. WHILE THAT MEMBER
IS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE
OTHER DISTRICT. THEY ARE PASSING
A CAR OF SOMEONE WHO WORKED IN
THE OTHER DISTRICT IN THE
MORNING, AND IT'S COMING TO WORK
IN THE FIRST DISTRICT IN THE
AFTERNOON. WHY. WHY? WHY DO YOU
THINK THAT IS? WELL, IT SAVES
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BENEFITS.
THOSE EMPLOYEES PENSION ELIGIBLE
. IT SAVES A TINY AMOUNT OF
MONEY. IN COMPARISON TO THE COST
OF THOSE EMPLOYEE SALARIES AND
IN COMPARISON TO THE COST OF THE
LEARNING OF STUDENTS. THE
CONTINUITY OF LEARNING WHEN A
STUDENT HAS A 1 TO 1 PAIR
EDUCATOR STUDENT WITH A SEVERE
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.
THEY'VE GOT A DIFFERENT PERSON
IN THE MORNING IN THE AFTERNOON.
THAT PERSON COMES IN THE
AFTERNOON HAS NO IDEA WHAT KIND
OF MORNING THAT STUDENT HAD,
WHAT THINGS THAT STUDENT WAS
STRUGGLING WITH WHAT THEY WERE
DEALING WITH AT HOME. AND SO WE
NEED THAT CONTINUITY OF SERVICE
AND WE NEED TO FILL VACANCIES.
AND THIS BILL A B 16 99 WILL
HELP US DO THAT. THE OTHER
SITUATION THAT WE HAVE IS WE
HAVE A BUS DRIVER WHO MAYBE
DRIVES A KID TO SCHOOL IN THE
MORNING DRIVES KIDS TO SCHOOL.
MANY KIDS TO SCHOOL IN THE
MORNING. RETURNS THEM TO HOME IN
THE AFTERNOON DOESN'T HAVE HOURS
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. AND IS
WORKING MAYBE 22 23 HOURS A
WEEK. THAT AND THEN, IF THAT
SAME CAMPUS, WE MIGHT HAVE A
FOOD SERVICE POSITION THAT'S
OPEN. AND WE HAVE SCHOOL
DISTRICTS THAT WILL ACTUALLY
TELL THAT EMPLOYEE THEY CANNOT
APPLY FOR THAT JOB. FOR WHAT
REASON? THAT PERSON CAN FULLY DO
THAT JOB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
DAY. THEY COULD ABSOLUTELY DO
THAT JOB THE OTHER DAY, BUT WHAT
WILL HAPPEN IS DON'T PROBABLY
GET OVER 30 HOURS AND THEY'LL BE
QUALIFIED FOR BENEFITS AND
PENSION ELIGIBLE. AND SO
DISTRICTS WILL ACTUALLY TELL
THAT EMPLOYEE THAT THEY CANNOT
APPLY FOR THAT JOB IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE DAY. SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM
IN THIS STATE. AND I THINK THAT
A B 16 99 IS IN FACT, THE LEAST
EXPENSIVE SOLUTION. WE COME HERE
ASKING EVERY YEAR FOR ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES TO HIRE EMPLOYEES. BUT
MAYBE 16 99 WOULD COST THE STATE
VERY LITTLE COST SCHOOL
DISTRICTS VERY LITTLE AND COULD
DO A LOT TO ADDRESS THE
WORKFORCE CRISIS IN THE
CLASSIFIED RANKS IN OUR SCHOOL
SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA. AS I
MENTIONED, THESE FOLKS ARE
ESSENTIAL TO OUR STUDENTS
EDUCATION. AND IT IS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE TREAT THEM
WITH RESPECT. BECAUSE IF WE DO,
WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS
HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING TO
SERVE THEM. WHO ARE IN A
SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE NOT
HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT THEY CAN PUT FOOD ON THEIR
TABLE, AND THEY CAN FOCUS ON
ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE
SUCCESSFUL AS THEY CAN BE. THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. HURTFUL. HELLO
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS AND
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF
THOUSANDS OF REPRESENTATIVE
WORKERS THAT ARE STATES HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. MY NAME
IS MATT MASON. I'M A 20 YEAR
STATE SACRAMENTO STATE AUTO
MECHANIC AND MEMBER OF THE
TEAMSTERS 2010 BARGAINING TEAM.
OUR UNION REPRESENTS OVER 14,000
WORKERS AT THE UC AND CSU, AND
THIS INCLUDES 12,000
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT STAFF.
SYSTEM POWERING THE UC SYSTEM
WIDE AND OVER 2400 SKILLED
TRADES WORKERS AT EVERY CSU
CAMPUS AND SEVERAL OF THE UC
CAMPUSES. AS YOU'RE PROBABLY
AWARE. THE CSU IS A LONGSTANDING
AND WORSENING STRUCTURAL CRISIS
AND ITS PAY PRACTICES WHICH
HARMS THE UNIVERSITY, ITS
WORKERS AND THE STATE. HE
RECENTLY COMPLETED INDEPENDENT
SALARY STUDY COMMISSIONED BY THE
LEGISLATURE FOUND THAT THIS
ISSUE AVERAGE PAY IS 12% BELOW
MARKET MEDIAN WITH SOME JOBS,
CLASSIFICATIONS AND MORE THAN
20% BELOW MARKET DUE TO THE LACK
OF A STEP SYSTEM AND SALARY AND
VERSION. DESPITE OUR SACRIFICE
AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS ISSUE,
INCLUDING WORKING THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC, WE'VE RECEIVED NO
STRUCTURAL SALARY STEPS FOR
NEARLY 30 YEARS IN NEGOTIATIONS
, THE ISSUE IS ONLY OFFERED US A
LOW BALL 1% AVERAGE PROPOSAL,
EVEN AS THE COST OF LIVING HAS
SKYROCKETED. I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND
HOW THIS UNDERMINES THE SYSTEM,
THIS PAY IS CRITICAL TO THE SEA
ISSUES, ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND
RETAIN TALENTED STAFF. WHO
HELPED STUDENTS ATTAIN THEIR
GOALS. KEEP THE LIGHTS ON THE
WATER FLOWING AND KEEP LABS AND
INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIPMENT
FUNCTIONING AND MAINTAINED AND
KEEP STUDENT DORMITORIES SAFE
AND SECURE SO THAT STUDENTS AND
STAFF CAN FOCUS ON THEIR
EDUCATION. ALL THE WHILE WE'VE
SEEN BOTH SYSTEMS DOUBLED DOWN
ON CONTRACTING OUT OF OUR
MEMBERS WORK AT A MUCH HIGHER
COST INSTEAD OF FILLING
VACANCIES ARE GROWING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GOOD
MIDDLE CLASS UNION JOBS. JUST A
FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CSU PROPOSED
EXPANDING THEIR ABILITY TO
CONTRACT OUT SKILLED TRADES
WORK. WHEN WE PUSH THEM ON THE
NEED FOR MORE OUTSOURCING, THEY
ADMITTED IT COULD IT WAS USED TO
BACK FILL VACANT POSITIONS AND
CONTRACTORS INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY
ADDRESSING THE CRITICAL HIRING
AND POTENTIAL PROBLEMS CREATED
BY CSU'S LOW PAY AND LACK OF
ANALYSTS. ANNUAL SALARY STEPS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THESE PROBLEMS
ARE TWO SIDED WITH THE SAME
COIN. I APPRECIATE THE TIME TO
BE ABLE TO COME OUT HERE AND
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
FACING OUR MEMBERSHIP, AND
DESPITE THE BUDGET DEFICIT IN
CALIFORNIA FACES OUR UNION WILL
CONTINUE PUSHING TO ALLEVIATE
STRUCTURAL PAY INEQUITIES THAT
HURT OUR MEMBERS IN THE HIGHER
EDUCATION SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. WE'LL
TAKE A BRIEF RECESS. THANK YOU.
COFFEE IS AWFUL, BY THE WAY.
WE GAVELED IN, UM WE'RE BACK.
GUYS WILL GO TO OUR LAST PANEL.
AND THAT IS DOCTOR SAVANNAH
HUNTER. IRENE GREEN AND KATHLYN.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AS YOU
BEGIN. THANK YOU.
SHOULD WE BE? ALL RIGHT. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
IT'S PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO TALK
WITH YOU. MY NAME IS KATHLEEN
BOWSER AND I'M WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE HOSPITALS. I
WORK IN ATASCADERO STATE
HOSPITAL. I'M A MUSIC THERAPIST
. I'VE WORKED FOR THE STATE
SINCE 2010. I'M HERE
REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES. LOCAL 26
20. WHICH REPRESENTS NEARLY 5500
FULL TIME HEALTH AND SOCIAL
SERVICES PROFESSIONALS IN OVER
135 JOB CLASSIFICATIONS IN THE
STATE ARE LOCAL REPRESENTS
ADOPTION SPECIALISTS LICENSING
PROGRAM. ANALYST PSYCHOLOGISTS,
PHARMACISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS,
CHAPLAINS AND NATIVE AMERICAN
SPIRITUAL LEADERS AND
REHABILITATION THERAPISTS TO
NAME JUST A FEW. WE PROVIDE
DIRECT SERVICE TO CLIENTS AND
OVER A DOZEN STATE DEPARTMENTS
IN ALMOST EVERY COUNTY IN
PRISONS, STATE HOSPITALS,
DEVELOPMENTAL CENTERS AND THOSE
WITH DISABILITIES IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. OUR CLIENTS ARE
AMONG CALIFORNIA'S MOST
VULNERABLE CITIZENS. THE PEOPLE
, PEOPLE WHO OFTEN GET LOST IN
THE CRACKS, SO UNDERSTAFFING IS
A CRITICAL ISSUE. RECRUITMENT
AND RETENTION ARE AN ISSUE
THROUGHOUT THE STATE FOR ASKED
ME REPRESENTED JOB
CLASSIFICATIONS. RECRUITMENT
EFFORTS ARE DIFFICULT AS PAY HAS
NOT BEEN COMMENSURATE WITH THE
COST OF LIVING OR EDUCATION
REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR THESE
POSITIONS. THIS IS A PARTICULAR
CONCERN IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION
CDCR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
HOSPITALS. TSH WHERE EMPLOYEES
ARE WORKING WITH POPULATIONS
THAT ARE OFTEN VIOLENT AND OR
PSYCHIATRICALLY UNSTABLE. THESE
DEPARTMENTS OFTEN RELY ON
EXPENSIVE CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE
NO LONG TERM STAKE IN THE
MISSION. A STATEMENTS OF THE
DEPARTMENT UH, EMPLOYEES ARE
OFTEN OUT SOME HOUSE FOR MONTHS
OR YEARS DUE TO PHYSICAL
INJURIES OR TRAUMA SUSTAINED IN
A WORKPLACE INSTALLED. SOME
NEVER RETURN DUE TO EITHER
PHYSICAL INJURY OR SUSTAINED
EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. LOW STAFFING,
HIGH CASELOADS, A DEMANDING WORK
ENVIRONMENT AND A CHALLENGING
POPULATION ALSO LEAD TO HIGH
LEVELS OF STRESS AND BURNOUT,
EVEN WHEN THE EMPLOYEE HAS NOT
BEEN ASSAULTED. I PERSONALLY
KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE WITHIN
OUR BARGAINING UNIT WHO HAVE
COMMITTED SUICIDE. WHILE THEIR
DEATHS HAD MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE
WORK ENVIRONMENT. I DON'T THINK
IT IS A STRETCH TO SAY THAT IT
ADDED TO WHATEVER BURDENS THEY
WERE CARRYING. UNDERSTAFFING
ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF STRESS IN
AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS
CHALLENGING AND DRAINING ON THE
BEST OF DAYS. C D, C, R AND D S
H HAVE DONE LITTLE TO
MEANINGFULLY ADDRESS RECRUITMENT
AND RETENTION. IN MARCH 2023.
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
HOSPITALS HAD AN AVERAGE VACANCY
RATE OF 23% WITHIN THE
BARGAINING UNIT, RANGING FROM
17% AT PATTON STATE HOSPITAL UP
TO 28% AT METROPOLITAN STATE
HOSPITAL. WITHIN CDCR MENTAL
HEALTHCARE. STAFFING VACANCIES
ARE AS HIGH AS 60% IN SOME
LOCATIONS. IN C D. C. ARE THE
CRITICAL STAFF SHORTAGES AMONGST
MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANS HAVE
LED TO THE COLEMAN VERSUS
NEWSOME, RULING THAT MONTHLY
FINES WILL NOW BE LEVIED AGAINST
CDCR FOR VACANCIES ABOVE 10. IN
THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF
IMPLEMENTATION. CDCR WAS FINED
$13.6 MILLION. MONEY THAT COULD
HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENT ON
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.
HAVING A COMPETITIVE SALARY.
WITH A STREAMLINED, UH.
PROCESSING AND, UH, TIMELINE AND
OPTIONS TO TELE WORK AS WELL AS
A ROBUST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WITH
GOOD MENTAL HEALTH COVERAGE
WOULD HELP THE STATE WITH
ADEQUATE STAFFING SO THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE SOCIAL AND
REHABILITATIVE SERVICES TO THE
STATE'S MOST VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS. THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME
IS DR SAVANNAH HUNTER, AND I'M,
AN ASSOCIATE RESEARCH AND POLICY
SPECIALIST AT THE UC BERKELEY
LABOR CENTER. LIKE TO THINK THE
CHAIR AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY. I'M
HERE ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY
COLLEAGUES AT THE U. C. BERKELEY
LABOR CENTER, DR IDA FARMAN,
TAINAN, CHALONER, DR ENRIQUE
LOPEZ LIRA AND KEN JACOBS TO
PRESENT OUR RESEARCH ON THE
ADEQUACY OF STATE EMPLOYEE WAGES
. REPORT WE PUBLISHED THIS PAST
MARCH. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IS ONE OF THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS
IN CALIFORNIA WITH CLOSE TO A
QUARTER OF A MILLION EMPLOYEES,
ALMOST HALF OF WHOM ARE WOMEN
AND ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF WHOM
ARE WORKERS OF COLOR. STATE
WORKERS PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOBS
THAT SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AND
GENERATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT
CONTRIBUTES TO THE GROWTH OF THE
STATE ECONOMY. BUT ACROSS
OCCUPATIONS AND THROUGHOUT THE
STATE, MANY STATE WORKERS DO NOT
EARN A LIVING WAGE. A LIVING
WAGE IS DIFFERENT FROM THE
MINIMUM WAGE. THE MINIMUM WAGE
IS ILLEGAL FLOOR. HOWEVER A
LIVING WAGE REPRESENTS THE
HOURLY WAGE THAT A WORKER
EMPLOYED FULL TIME AND ALL YEAR
WOULD NEED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO
BE SELF SUFFICIENT, CONSIDERING
THE COST OF LIVING FOR THEIR
REGION. THE WIDELY USED LIVING
WAGE CALCULATOR FROM THE
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE FOR
TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES ESTIMATES
FOR THE HOURLY WAGE WORKERS IN
THE STATE, A COUNTY OR
METROPOLITAN AREA WOULD NEED TO
EARN A MINIMUM LEVELS OF
ASSISTANCE. CONSIDERING THEIR
FAMILY SIZE AND BY TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE COST OF FOOD.
CHILDCARE MEDICAL EXPENSES,
HOUSING TRANSPORTATION, OTHER
BASIC NEEDS. FOR SOME CONTEXT.
MIGHTY IS LIVING WAGE CALCULATOR
ESTIMATES THAT A SINGLE ADULT IN
CALIFORNIA WITH NO CHILDREN
WOULD NEED TO MAKE A MINIMUM OF
$21.24 TO MAKE ENDS MEET. AND A
FAMILY OF TWO FULL TIME WORKING
ADULTS WITH TWO CHILDREN WOULD
NEED TO MAKE A MINIMUM OF $30.06
EACH FOR BASIC FAMILY BUDGET.
WAIT JUST A MINUTE ARE JUST FOR
A BASIC LEVEL OF SUBSISTENCE AND
DO NOT INCLUDE SAVING FOR AN
EMERGENCY OR RETIREMENT OR
TAKING PART IN ANY LEISURE
ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING EVEN GOING
OUT TO EAT. IN OUR RESEARCH. WE
USE PAYROLL DATA FROM THE STATE
CONTROLLER'S OFFICE TO EXAMINE
THE ADEQUACY OF STATE EMPLOYEE
WAGES BY COMPARING THE EARNINGS
OF FULL TIME EMPLOYED STATE
WORKERS REPRESENTED BY S E I U
LOCAL 1000 TO THE M I T S LIVING
WAGE CALCULATOR. TH¤U 1000 IS
THE LARGEST PUBLIC SECTOR UNION
IN THE STATE, REPRESENTING
ALMOST HALF OF ALL STATE
GOVERNMENT WORKERS. WE FIND THAT
A SIZABLE SHARE OF STATE WORKERS
REPRESENTED BY SC AU 1000 DO NOT
EARN A LIVING WAGE. WE FIND THAT
5% OF STATE WORKERS REPRESENTED
BY S A U 1000 EARNED A WAGE TOO
LOW TO SUPPORT JUST THEIR OWN
BASIC NEEDS. OVER A 3RD 35% EARN
A WAGE TOO LOW TO SUPPORT A
FAMILY OF FOUR EVEN ASSUMING
THAT THAT WORKER HAD A PARTNER
WHO ALSO WORKED FULL TIME FOR
THE SAME WAGE. AND OVER TWO
THIRDS 69% EARNED A WAGE TOO LOW
TO SUPPORT JUST THEMSELVES AND
ONE CHILD ON THEIR OWN. WE FOUND
THAT WAGES FOR STATE EMPLOYEES
IN CERTAIN OCCUPATIONS ARE SO
LOW THAT A MAJORITY OF FULL TIME
STATE WORKERS REPRESENTED BY THE
U 1000 DO NOT EARN ENOUGH TO
SUPPORT A FAMILY OF FOUR. THESE
OCCUPATIONS INCLUDED BUILDING
AND MAINTENANCE WORKERS,
PARTICULARLY CUSTODIANS.
HEALTHCARE SUPPORT WORKERS,
INCLUDING CERTIFIED NURSING
ASSISTANTS AND MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE. OFFICE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE WORKERS,
PRODUCTION WORKERS IN LAUNDRY
AND THE PRINTING TRADES AND
WORKERS AND FOOD PREPARATION,
INCLUDING COOKS AND FOOD SERVICE
TECHNICIANS. ARE CALLING JASMINE
RIVERA AT THE UCLA LABOR CENTER
CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH 12
STATE WORKERS REPRESENTED BY S E
I U 1000 AND MANY OF THESE SAME
OCCUPATIONS AND DOCUMENTED THAT
WITHOUT LIVING WAGES, WORKERS
STRUGGLED WITH RENT, BURDEN FOOD
INSECURITY AND RELIED ON
OVERTIME SIDE GIGS OR MOVING IN
WITH FAMILY TO TRY TO MAKE ENDS
MEET. OUR RESEARCH SHOWS THAT
LOW WAGES AMONG STATE WORKERS IS
A STATEWIDE PROBLEM. DIFFICULTY
OBTAINING LIVABLE WAGES WAS
ESPECIALLY ACUTE IN COASTAL
REGIONS, BUT WORKERS IN ALL
PARTS OF THE STATE FACED SELF
SUFFICIENCY CHALLENGES. IN THE
BAY AREA AROUND 50% OR MORE OF
WORKERS, REPRESENTED BY THE AU
1000 DID NOT EARN ENOUGH TO
SUPPORT A FAMILY OF FOUR. IN L,
A AND MONTEREY COUNTIES AROUND
46. AND HERE IN SACRAMENTO AND
INCURRING COUNTIES AROUND 30% OF
STATE WORKERS REPRESENTED BY STU
1000, UNDER WHICH TOO LOW TO
SUPPORT A FAMILY OF FOUR EARNING
BELOW LIVING WAGE FOR STATE
EMPLOYEES IS AN ISSUE OF RACIAL,
ETHNIC AND GENDER EQUITY. IN OUR
REPORT. WE USE NATIONALLY
REPRESENTATIVE DATA FROM THE
CENSUS, AND WE FIND THAT WOMEN
BLACK AND HISPANIC WORKERS ARE
OVERREPRESENTED IN STATE
GOVERNMENT JOBS THAT DO NOT PAY
A LIVING WAGE. ADDITIONALLY A
2020 REPORT FROM THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES
FOUND THAT WOMEN AND WOMEN OF
COLOR FACED SIGNIFICANT GENDER
PAY GAPS RELATIVE TO MEN IN THE
STATE SERVICE. THE STATE'S
PROVISION OF WAGES THAT ARE
INSUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A DECENT
STANDARD OF LIVING HAS SEVERE
NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE ECONOMIC
SECURITY OF STATE WORKERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES. EXACERBATES THE
PERSISTENT GENDER AND RACIAL
WAGE AND WEALTH GAPS. AS WE
BUILD A POST PANDEMIC FUTURE IN
THE STATE, THERE IS AN URGENT
NEED FOR HIGHER WAGES AND PAY
PARITY TO ENSURE ADEQUATE LIVING
STANDARDS AS WELL AS TO ATTRACT
AND RETAIN STRONG PUBLIC SECTOR
WORKFORCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. YEAH OKAY. GOOD MORNING,
MADAM CHAIR. HOW ARE YOU THIS
MORNING? MY NAME IS IRENE GREEN.
AND I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
BARGAINING REPRESENTING OVER
96,000. STATE WORKERS FOR S E I
U LOCAL 1000. I'M ALSO A PROUD
STATE EMPLOYEE. I WORK FOR THE
EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT APARTMENT
AS AN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
REPRESENTATIVE. AND FOR OVER 14
YEARS IN THIS POSITION, I'VE
SERVED IN SERVICE OF ALL
CALIFORNIANS. PROVIDE SUPPORT TO
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS WHO BY NO
FAULT OF THEIR OWN, FIND
THEMSELVES UNEMPLOYED. THE WORK
THAT I DO, ALONG WITH THOUSANDS
OF OTHER SIBLINGS AND
UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM,
REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS ALLOWS
UNEMPLOYED CALIFORNIA'S TO KEEP
FOOD ON THEIR TABLE TO KEEP A
ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD AND
PROVIDES A MEANS TO FIND
REEMPLOYMENT. SO IN RECENT YEARS
, THOUSANDS OF STATE WORKERS
HAVE SHARED WITH ME THEIR
FRUSTRATION WITH THEIR LOW PAY.
AND FATIGUE DRIVEN BY THE COVID
19 PANDEMIC WORK RULES. THE
INCREASED WORKLOAD AND MANDATORY
OVERTIME AND THE STATE'S 24
HOURS FACILITIES. LOCAL 1000
REPRESENTS HUNDREDS OF
CLASSIFICATIONS, INCLUDING
NURSES, CUSTODIANS, ANALYSTS,
OFFICE TECHNICIANS, DENTAL
ASSISTANCE, LICENSED VOCATIONAL
INSTRUCTORS, HEALTH FIELD
EVALUATION, NURSES AND SO MANY
OTHERS. WE ARE PART OF THE
PUBLIC SECTOR IN CALIFORNIA. WE
ARE THE LONG TERM RESPONDERS. WE
ARE THE ONES WHO CLEAN UP THE
MESS THAT THE GUN MANUFACTURERS
, SYNTHETIC OPIOID PRODUCERS AND
THE OIL COMPANIES LEAVE BEHIND
AND OUR COMMUNITIES AFTER THE
FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE LEFT. AND
AS YOU'VE HEARD EARLIER, WE ARE
DISPROPORTIONATE,
DISPROPORTIONATELY WOMEN. AND
WORKERS OF COLOR. AND WE'VE BEEN
STRETCHED TO THE BREAKING POINT
AT A TIME WHEN JOB VACANCIES AND
CALIFORNIA STATE CIVIL SERVICE
OR AT A NEAR ALL TIME HIGH. OUR
STATE HOSPITALS, PRISONS AND
VETERANS. HOMES ARE IN DIRE NEED
OF NURSES AND MEDICAL SUPPORT
STAFF. WE HAVE 25% VACANCY RATE
FOR ARIANE'S AND OUR PRISONS
ALONE. THAT'S OVER 700 OPEN ARE
IN POSITIONS. THEY ARE UNFILLED
AS NURSES CONTINUE TO WORK
MANDATORY OVERTIME SHIFTS TO
FILL IN THAT STAFFING GAPS. THE
LARGEST CLASSIFICATION THAT
LOCAL 1000 REPRESENTS OUR
ASSOCIATE GOVERNMENT PROGRAM.
ANALYSTS HAS A 24% BASIC VACANCY
RATE. THAT'S ALMOST 3600 OPEN
POSITIONS. GPS PERFORMED PROGRAM
, EVALUATION AND PLANNING,
BUDGETING, POLICY ANALYSIS AND
FORMULATION FOR ANTI POVERTY
PROGRAMS, HOUSING AND PUBLIC
HEALTH PROJECTS. THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS
AND PROJECTS ARE CRITICAL TO THE
HEALTH AND FINANCIAL STABILITY
OF CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS. AND ALL
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS
ABOUT A 25% VACANCY RATE ACROSS
LOCAL 1000 BARGAINING UNITS.
THAT'S WELL OVER 24,000 JOBS
THAT ARE WAITING TO BE FILLED.
CALIFORNIA SILVER SERVICE RELIES
ON THE LEGISLATOR TO MAKE THE
KIND OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IN
PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THAT
PRIVATE CORPORATIONS WON'T MAKE
BECAUSE THEY INVEST FOR THE NEXT
QUARTER, NOT THE NEXT
GENERATION. MAKING THOSE PUBLIC
INVESTMENTS START WITH PROVIDING
ADEQUATE STAFFING WITH LIVING
WAGES. FOR THE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO
THE SUSTAINABILITY AND PROGRESS
OF COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA.
NOW WE HAVE FOUR RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION RELATED
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO CONSIDER. FIRST
SUPPORT LOCAL ONE THOUSAND'S
EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE STATE
CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENT
EFFORTS BY HELPING TO RAISE
PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE VALUE OF
A CAREER IN SILVER SERVICE. I AM
A PROUD STATE WORKER, AND MANY
OF MY SIBLINGS ARE PROUD STATE
WORKERS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF
THAT. SECOND RAISE CIVIL SERVICE
WAGES SO THAT EARLY CAREER
PROFESSIONALS IDENTIFY THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA AS THEIR EMPLOYER
OF CHOICE. THIRD IN TERMS OF
RETENTION. WE URGE THAT THE
LEGISLATOR TO WORK WITH LOCAL
1000 TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS TO
KEEP RETIREMENT AND HEALTH CARE
AFFORDABLE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.
TOGETHER WE CAN HALT THE CLASS
IP THE COST SHIFTING OF THESE
BENEFITS THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER
THE LAST 25 YEARS. FOURTH OVER
5000 STATE WORKERS WITH 10 PLUS
YEARS OF SERVICE SEPARATED FROM
LOCAL 1000 REPRESENTED
BARGAINING UNITS OVER THE LAST
YEAR ALONE. THIS IS DOUBLE THE
NUMBER. IT WAS BEFORE COVID 19
PANDEMIC ACTUALLY BEGAN. WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SUBSTANTIAL
ESSENTIAL WORKER PAY BONUS THAT
ACKNOWLEDGES AND REWARDS THE
HEROIC SACRIFICE THAT ALL OF THE
96,000 LOCAL 1000 REPRESENTATIVE
WORKERS MADE JOINED THIS COVID
PANDEMIC. NOW THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD GO A LONG
WAY TO STABILIZE EMPLOYEE
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND
OUR BARGAINING UNITS. AND I WANT
TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY. TO SPEAK IN FRONT
OF YOU AND THE COMMITTEE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
GUYS. WE HAVE TIME FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE HAVE ABOUT 30
MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THAT
GIVES ABOUT 30 PEOPLE BECAUSE
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE ONE
MINUTE. TO SPEAK. SO PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU HAVE ONE
MINUTE. CHAIR. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. UM GEORGE
OSBORNE FOR THE UNION OF
AMERICAN PHYSICIANS AND
DENTISTS. YOU A P D MEMBERS. OUR
PHYSICIANS, DENTISTS AND
PSYCHIATRISTS PROVIDE
HEALTHCARE. TO INCARCERATED
PERSONS IN CDCR. AND PATIENTS AT
D S. H. OUR PATIENTS, ESPECIALLY
MENTAL PATIENTS ARE THE MOST
SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS
IN THE STATE. RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE.
FOR MANY YEARS. WAGES AND
BENEFITS FOR OUR MEMBERS. WAY
BEHIND THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND
SOME FACILITIES HAVE VACANCY
RATES HOVERING AROUND 50
PERCENT. RATHER THAN FOCUS ON
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. THE
STATE RELIES UPON CONTRACT
TEMPORARY WORKERS. WHICH ARE 2
TO 3 TIMES. MORE EXPENSIVE THAN
CIVIL SERVICE PHYSICIANS. AND
REDUCES THE QUALITY OF CARE. FOR
THE MOST. VULNERABLE PATIENTS IN
THE STATE. IN EFFECT. THE STATE
IS PRIVATIZING HEALTHCARE IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. GOOD MORNING
CHANNEL SOMALI WITH THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY.
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES JUST REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME
TO LISTEN TO SOME OF OUR MEMBERS
, UM, SPEAK TODAY ABOUT WHAT
THEY ARE FACING IN THE PUBLIC
SECTOR. AH NATIONALLY, WE FOUND
THAT THERE ARE 500,000 PUBLIC
SECTOR JOBS, UM, THAT ARE OPEN
AND ASKED ME INTERNATIONAL IS
THINKING CREATIVELY OUTSIDE OF
THE BOX WITH THEIR STAFF, THE
FRONTLINES INITIATIVE TO REALLY
TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THE
CONCERNS THAT WE ARE FACING IN
THE PUBLIC SECTOR. I JUST WANTED
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM SOME OF
OUR MEMBERS ARE TALKING ABOUT
FORCED OVERTIME WORKING 80 HOURS
A WEEK. UM ACCOMPANIED BY STRESS
INDUCED DEPRESSION, HEALTH
PROBLEMS, FAMILY AND MARITAL
DIFFICULTIES. UM AND WE NEED TO
SOLVE FOR THIS SO AGAIN
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND HOPING
THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO
SUFFER THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS VINCENT
GREEN AND I AM INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS WORKING
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS. I AM ALSO UNION STORE
FOR LOCAL 1000. I STAND BEFORE
YOU TO ANSWER THE VERY SIMPLE
QUESTION OF WHY WE WANT TO
DESERVE A RAISE. THE SIMPLEST
ANSWER IS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST
LIKE YOU. WE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE
THAT YOU INVITE TO YOUR
BARBECUES AT YOUR HOME WE ON AND
CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AND CRY WITH YOU WHEN YOUR
PERSONAL DEVASTATION COMES TO
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, IT'S BECAUSE WE
HAVE BEEN THERE. WE ARE STATE
WORKERS CONTINUE TO BE HERE,
EVEN WITH COVID VITAL SERVICES
CONTINUED BECAUSE WE WERE HERE.
THE LEGISLATION STAFF HAS
RECEIVED 7.5% COST OF LIVING
INCREASED FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS
. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE
RECEIVED 2.5% RAISED IN THE LAST
YEAR. THE PRICE OF GAS,
GROCERIES, MEDICATION CLOTHING,
HOUSING HAS INCREASED FOR
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM. WE ARE
THE SAME. SO AGAIN, DO WE NEED
ARRAYS DESERVE A RAISE? YES BY
ALL MEANS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WHEN I WAS YES. MY NAME IS
RUTHIE BARON ASSOCIATE
GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAM ANALYSTS
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I'M
ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF S. C I U
LOCAL 1000 LIKE THE FARM WORKERS
, NURSES AND OTHER ESSENTIAL
WORKERS. STATE WORKERS KEPT
CALIFORNIA RUNNING DURING THE
PANDEMIC, ALTHOUGH MANY OF OUR
STATE WORKERS WERE MADE TO GO TO
WORK AND COVID INFESTED
BUILDINGS, WORKED MANDATORY
OVERTIME AND WERE TREATED WITH
HOSTILITY BY MANY. WE MANAGED TO
ENSURE THAT SERVICES FROM SAFETY
NET PROGRAMS LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT,
STATE DISABILITY WORKER'S
COMPENSATION. WERE DELIVERED, UM
, AS TIMELY AS POSSIBLE. WE
WROTE AND ENFORCE LAW COVID LAWS
AND REGULATIONS TO KEEP
CALIFORNIA'S HEALTHY, SAFE AND A
LIFE AND SHOULD FOLKS HAVE ROOFS
OVER THEIR HEADS BY IMPLEMENTING
PROGRAMS FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL
ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS HOUSING IS
KEY AND HOME KEY, AND DURING
THIS TIME WE HELPED CALIFORNIA
ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS THE FOURTH
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD
WITH A BUDGET THAT HAD BILLIONS
IN SURPLUS. HOWEVER MANY OF OUR
COWORKERS WERE ALSO SUFFERING
AND BARELY MAKING ENDS MEET. IF
AT ALL. I AM SORRY. THANK YOU,
MA'AM. THANK YOU. HELLO MY NAME
IS STEPHANIE SWAILS. I AM A
DENTAL ASSISTANT. I WORKED FOR
THE CDCR AND CSP, CALIFORNIA
STATE PRISON. SOLANO I'M HERE
TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT A STATE
EMPLOYEES WE HAVE EARNED OUR
RAYS AND THOSE OF US THAT WORK.
ALL OF US STATE EMPLOYEES, BUT
ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US IN
MEDICAL, PHARMACY, DENTAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH WHO I WORKED WITH
VERY CLOSELY. WE SERVE
CALIFORNIANS BY HELPING OUR MOST
UNDERSERVED POPULATION WHICH IS
OUR INMATES REHABILITATION. WE
TEACH THEM HOW TO TAKE CARE OF
THEMSELVES. WE TEACH THEM HOW TO
TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.
THEY TAKE THOSE SKILLS WITH THEM
WHEN THEY LEAVE, AND THAT HELPS
THEM. STAY FROM COMING BACK INTO
OUR PRISONS. AND WITH THAT WORK,
WE'VE DONE THAT BEFORE COVID. WE
DIDN'T DURING COVID AND AFTER
COVID AND I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN
MY WORK AND IN HELPING OUR
CALIFORNIANS, BUT THAT PRIDE
DOESN'T PAY MY BILLS AND I WE
REALLY DESERVE OUR 30% RAISE
OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH UM, SAM LIU
. I'M A REP TO AT THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UH
PREVIOUS PEOPLE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE VACANCY PROBLEMS AND I
CAN TESTIFY THAT THAT IS A
PROBLEM. EVEN MANAGEMENT IS
SAYING THAT WE CAN'T HIRE AND
RETAIN SKILLED STAFF AND THAT
JUST CAUSES MORE WORKLOADS FOR
EVERYONE ELSE. AND, UH, SIMPLE
SOLUTION THAT WOULD BE A 30%
RAISE AND 100% HEALTH HERE.
THANKS THANK YOU. HI MY NAME IS
MAY FAUX PIANO. I WORKED FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR
THE LAST 15 YEARS. I'M A
PROUDEST YEAH, YOU 1000 MEMBER
IN A SHOP STEWARD. I WANT TO LET
YOU KNOW THAT I FOUND OUT THE
OTHER DAY. THE TWO OF MY CO
WORKERS WHO WORKED THERE LONGER
THAN I HAVE ARE HOMELESS. AND IT
WAS VERY HUMBLING TO HEAR THEIR
STORIES. MY DAUGHTER WHO WORKS
FOR FREEPORT BAKERY MAKES AS
MUCH AS I DO. WE DESERVE THIS.
30% WE WERE THERE. WE NEVER
STOPPED WORKING. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. MHM THANK YOU. MY
NAME IS RICKY BRADLEY. I'M HOW
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
REPRESENTATIVE TO AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. YOU'VE
HEARD A LOT OF NUMBERS. I DON'T
HAVE ANY FIGURES FOR YOU, BUT,
UM, I DO HAVE MANY STORIES THAT
WE HEARD AT THE TOWN HALL OF
PEOPLE WHO HAD TO SELL BLOOD IN
ORDER TO SURVIVE. WE HAVE, UM
MANY OF US HAVE TO WORK TWO AND
THREE JOBS. I PERSONALLY HAVE
ABOUT FOUR. JUST TO BE ABLE TO
SURVIVE, AND I THINK THAT IS A
SHAME THAT IN THIS ECONOMY,
THOSE OF US WHO KEEP THIS STATE
RUNNING ALSO HAVE TO PARTAKE OF
THE SERVICES THAT THE HOUSE AND
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO USE.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE WORKED
FOR THIS GOVERNMENT, WE CAN'T
AFFORD TO BUY HOUSES HERE. WE
CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY FOOD HERE.
IT'S REALLY A SHAME. AND SO I'M
JUST EMPLOYING YOU ALONG WITH
96,000 OF MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS. THAT WE NEED TO BE
RESPECTED. WE NEED TO BE PAID
AND WE NEED TO BE PROTECTED
BECAUSE WE DESERVE IT. MY NAME
IS JOHN AND PAUL AND I'M, A
DIGITAL MARKETING ANALYST FOR
THE E, D D AND A PROUD SCR, YOU
LOCAL 1000 MEMBER DURING THE
COVID UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS. MY
TEAM AND I ARE LED EFFORTS TO
HELP YOUR CONSTITUENTS THROUGH
BELEAGUERED SYSTEM. WE ENDURED
SERIOUS PERSONAL RISKS RECEIVING
THREATS AND BEING TARGETED BY
HACKERS. WE SERVED WHILE
SACRIFICING 9.24% OF OUR
SALARIES TO HELP THE STATE PAY
FOR OUR ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS EVEN
AS OUR PERSONAL BUDGET SWORD WE
DIDN'T LET THAT STOP US FROM OUR
MISSION. BUT NOW WE STAND AT A
CROSSROADS. BETWEEN BEING FAIRLY
PAID OR LEFT BEHIND. I CHOSE
PUBLIC SERVICE AS A CAREER
BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE
MISSION. AND SOMEDAY I WANT TO
HAVE A HOME AND A FAMILY OF MY
OWN. BUT I CAN'T WITH THE SALARY
THAT WE WERE PAID TODAY. WE
DESERVE ESSENTIAL PAY A 30%
RAISE AND FULL HEALTH COVERAGE.
WE CAN HELP. WE ARE RUN THE
STATE TODAY. AND ALL WE ASK IS
THAT YOU HELP US KEEP OUR
CALIFORNIA DREAM ALIVE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. MY
NAME IS BILL HALL. I HAVE BOTH
THE PRIVILEGE. UM AND
RESPONSIBILITY TO BOTH SERVE.
THE PUBLIC AS AN EMPLOYEE AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AND AS BOARD
CHAIR TO S E I U LOCAL 1000. IN
OAKLAND. IN ALAMEDA COUNTY. I
EARNED $3000 MORE. AND WHAT'S
CONSIDERED LOW INCOME ON AN
ANNUAL BASIS. THE PEOPLE THAT I
REPRESENT I HEAR FROM AN REGULAR
BASIS. WE HAVE PEOPLE IN SAN
DIEGO WHO LIVE IN THEIR CARS, NO
FAULT OF THEIR OWN. WE HAVE
PEOPLE IN FREMONT WHO ARE LIVING
IN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, NO
FAULT OF THEIR OWN. THIS IS THE
RESULT OF BEING LEFT BEHIND FOR
MORE THAN 20 YEARS. HOW DID THIS
HAPPEN? 11 OUT OF THE LAST 20
YEARS WE'VE GOTTEN NOTHING WHEN
WE DID GET A PAY RAISE. IT WAS
SIMPLY ENOUGH TO KEEP US UP WITH
THE COST OF LIVING FOR THAT
PARTICULAR YEAR OR PERIOD OF
TIME. THE RESULT OF THAT. WHAT
IS THAT, WHEN, WHEN THEN ASKED
ALSO TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TO OUR
BENEFITS IN OUR LAST CONTRACT.
WE GOT A TOTAL OF 7% AND WE GAVE
BACK FOUR. WE GAVE IT BACK AND
OPEN. WE GAVE IT BACK IN
INCREASING RETIREMENT BENEFITS.
THAT DOES NOT LEAVE US WITH
ENOUGH MONEY TO SIMPLY PUT A
ROOF OVER OUR HEAD AND
SUPPORTIVE FAMILY. THANK YOU,
SIR. AND I JUST CANNOT DRIVE
THAT POINT HOME. YOU KNOW, FOR
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SEE IN THIS
ROOM WHO ARE STANDING BEHIND ME
WHO ARE HERE TODAY AND EVERYBODY
WHO IS CALM AND PRESENTED TO YOU
THIS MORNING. IT IS ALL ACROSS
THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. HELLO MADAM CHAIRMAN
AND COMMITTEE MAYOR MEMBERS. MY
NAME IS JUANITA DANIELS. I'M A
JOB, STUART. WITH S E I U LOCAL
1000. UM I'VE BEEN A STEWARD. I
THINK FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS NOW I
STARTED AS A SEASONAL WORKER AND
WORKED TO PERMANENT POSITION. WE
ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF
CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING YOURSELVES
IN THE ASSEMBLY AND THE
LEGISLATURE. YES, THERE WERE
CRUMBLING. WE'RE BEGINNING TO
CRUMBLE AND WE WILL CRUMBLE
UNLESS WE ARE SUPPORTED AS THE
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CALIFORNIA. I
WANT TO BE PROUD AGAIN THAT I'M
A STATE WORKER. STEWART MY
MOTHER WAS A STUART, MY
DAUGHTER'S A STEWART BECAUSE WE
HAVE TO FIGHT THE BATTLE OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
CALIFORNIA CANNOT BUILD ON OUR
BACKS ANY LONGER. WE HAVE TO BE
SUPPORTED. WE HAVE TO BE
UPLIFTED OR CALIFORNIA WILL
CRUMBLE. WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH
ALL OF THIS. COVID I HAVE, UH,
WORK WITH HIS COWORKERS THAT
HAVE PASSED AWAY BECAUSE OF THIS
. THE 20 AND 30 YEAR OLDS WON'T
COME TO WORK FOR CALIFORNIA
BECAUSE THERE'S NO INCENTIVE
THERE IS NO SUPPORT. I WANT TO
BE PROUD AGAIN. I KNOW YOU GUYS
ARE PROUD OF BEING A
REPRESENTATIVES CALIFORNIA WE
ASKED FOR THE SUPPORT AND ALL
THAT WE DESERVE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR
LIFTING YOUR VOICES AND USING
YOUR VOICES TODAY, UM, TO
EDUCATE US AND TO EDUCATE
CALIFORNIANS THAT ARE LISTENING
AND WATCHING TODAY I WOULD LIKE
TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I AM
ALSO A PROUD, UH, PERSON THAT
COMES FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR. I
AM A PROUD S E I U MEMBER MYSELF
AND PAST MEMBER. AND I
UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. I
STARTED MY CAREER AT THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES,
SO UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT
REGARDING EMPLOYMENT IN
CALIFORNIA'S PUBLIC SECTOR,
INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT
CONCERNING TRENDS. I THINK WHAT
MANY PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET OR
NOT KNOW IS THAT EVERY SINGLE
CALIFORNIA IT'S SERVED BY A
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE IN SOME WAY.
POLICE FIRE AND TEACHERS ARE
GENERALLY GENERALLY THE MOST
VISIBLE. BUT THERE ARE PUBLIC
EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT WORKING ON THINGS
FROM THE AIR. WE BREATHE TO THE
ZOO'S WE'D VISIT REALLY FROM A
TO Z PUBLIC EMPLOYEES SERVED
ENSURE THE HEALTH SAFETY AND
WELFARE OF THE CALIFORNIANS AND
THE WORK THAT THEY DO TOUCH
EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES FOR
THESE PURPOSES. MOST TIMES THE
PUBLIC NEVER REALLY SEES THEM. A
DOESN'T REALLY KNOW. YOU
UNDERSTAND THE WORK. THEY NEVER
UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT YOU
GUYS DO. THEY GET ON AN ELEVATOR
AND SEE A SAFETY CERTIFICATE.
BUT THEY DON'T REALLY REALIZE
THAT THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR CERTIFYING IT.
CERTIFYING THAT IT WAS OPERATED
SAFELY. THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE
. MANY PUBLIC EMPLOYEES COULD
TAKE THEIR TALENTS TO THE
PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT INSTEAD WHAT
THEY HAVE CHOSEN IS A CAREER
DEDICATED TO PUBLIC SERVICE. AND
THEY SHOULD SPEAK THAT SHOULD
SPEAK VOLUMES. WE'RE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH THE SAME WORD
CALIFORNIA WHERE CALIFORNIA
GOES, SO GOES THE REST OF THE
NATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU GUYS
TO MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT
WE'VE HEARD OF TODAY. LET'S DO
THIS TOGETHER SO THAT THE
STATEMENT THAT THIS STATEMENT
REMAINS TRUE FOR OUR PUBLIC
SECTOR EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU.
THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED.