From the Desk of the Chief Steward: This is Our Moment to Be Heard

By Jonathan Byrd, 2nd Vice President, Chief Steward

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Two major news articles published this week – one in the Los Angeles Timesand the other in the Daily Breeze – have pulled back the curtain on the ongoing crisis inside our Probation Department. If you haven’t yet read them, I encourage you to do so. They don’t just cover the headlines. They tell the story of a department teetering on the edge, of a workforce that’s been ignored for far too long, and of elected officials determined to take away our collective bargaining and representation rights. (Learn more about our fight as a coalition of unions at ProbationSavesLives.com)

(Click here to read the LA Times story)

(Click here to read the Daily Breeze story)

The Real Story Behind the LA Times Headline

Last week’s headlines focused on Attorney General Rob Bonta’s request to place the juvenile division of our department under court-appointed receivership. That’s not news anymore. What’s news now – and what should alarm every union member – is what came next.

According to the LA Times, several County Supervisors have openly stated they would support the receivership only if it comes with the power to suspend or renegotiate union contracts and civil service protections. Let that sink in.

They’re using this crisis to push for something they could never get at the bargaining table: the power to strip us of our constitutional right to a union contract.

This is not just anti-union rhetoric – it’s a direct threat to the rights we are guaranteed under the U.S. and California Constitutions, both of which prohibit any government from passing laws – or taking actions – that impair the obligations of contracts. Our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is such a contract.

Let’s be clear: There is no receivership exception to the Constitution.

These rights were hard-won over generations of organizing, bargaining, and sacrifice. We will not allow them to be swept aside under the guise of reform.

The Truth About Staffing: The Daily Breeze Report

Meanwhile, the Daily Breeze highlights a staffing crisis that we live every day: a crisis that’s reached catastrophic levels. Vacancy rates have ballooned to 36%. Nearly 70% of new hires are quitting within a year. Officers are being forced to work back-to-back shifts. Field staff – meant to serve adults – are routinely pulled into the juvenile system. The result? Burnout, safety risks, and a caseload system at the breaking point.

No bonus program, billboard campaign, or patchwork fix will solve this until the County stops blaming workers and starts listening to those of us on the ground. We know what it takes to fix this department: investment in staff, training, safety, and long-term solutions – not scapegoating civil service protections.

This is our opportunity to once again demonstrate our commitment to our profession – and our willingness to work with the appropriate authorities to ensure safe, well-run operations for both the people we serve and the staff who show up every day to do the work.

In solidarity,

Jonathan Byrd

Second VP & Chief Steward