AFSCME Local 685 Update: A County That Can’t Get It Right — and We’re Fighting Back

A Message from President Eddie Chism

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Los Angeles County continues to stumble — and now we hear that CEO Fesia Davenport, one of Probation’s staunchest enemies, has allegedly been placed on leave, possibly due to the County’s mishandling of the massive sex abuse settlement. (Click here to read the LA Times story.) This is yet another example of a County leadership crisis that has left departments — and employees — without accountability or direction. (Click here to read about Davenport’s anti-probation efforts.)

Against that backdrop, the Hearing Officer in our Unfair Practice Charge has recommended against us — a decision we believe is flat-out wrong. Our case challenges the Department’s unlawful actions in reassigning officers to the juvenile halls and sending officers with medical limitations home to use their own time instead of providing appropriate modified-duty assignments. This unfair treatment punishes dedicated employees who have served the County for years and violates both past practice and basic fairness.

It’s clear the Hearing Officer missed the point entirely. We will be filing Exceptions to this ruling before the Los Angeles County Employee Relations Commission, which is expected to review the case at its November or December meeting. We will argue forcefully that this decision must be overturned.

This case goes beyond a single ruling — it reflects a disturbing anti-union bias that is spreading across the country and now infecting Los Angeles County. We question what factors influenced such a misguided decision and remain steadfast in defending our members’ rights and dignity. (Click here to read about Supervisor Horvath’s Trumpian efforts to strip us of our civil service protections.)

Meanwhile, we are engaging the Board of Supervisors directly to address the mistreatment of long-time County employees. Our message is clear: a fair, wellness-focused, and integrity-driven approach benefits not only our members, but also the Department and the County as a whole. Local 685 is scheduling meetings with three Supervisors to demand accountability and meaningful change. We will continue to fight — in the Commission, at the Board, and anywhere else necessary — to protect our members and uphold justice.

Other Important News

• Two General Grievances Filed: We are filing two grievances “general in character” — one to support DPO IIs reassigned to the SYTF program, and another for those working at the LP compound, specifically to advocate for a bonus for these assignments.

• Attorney General’s Receivership: The AG’s receivership court hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 10th. We are prepared to submit our intervention documents as soon as the court rules on the AG’s motion.

• Letter to the Governor and State Leaders: We are finalizing a letter to Governor Newsom and other elected officials highlighting recent Los Angeles Times reporting on the sexual abuse lawsuits — and the County’s apparent misrepresentations of officers.

• Hiring Crisis in Probation: During the September 23rd Board of Supervisors meeting, the County reported that the Department received 8,858 job applications in a year but hired only 88 officers. This failure underscores the Department’s “non-emergency” approach to staffing and why Attorney General intervention is urgently needed.

AFSCME Local 685 will continue to lead the charge — exposing County mismanagement, defending our members, and fighting for fairness, wellness, and integrity at every level.

In solidarity,

President Chism