From the Desk of the Chief Steward: Your Voices Were Heard, But We Need to Do More

Brothers and Sisters,

In the last 24 hours, Local 685 members made your presence known — nearly 50 of us showed up in person at the Hall of Administration today, while 32 members sent emails to the Board and 49 signed our petition opposing SB 357 (Menjivar). Our message is clearly being heard but we have a lot more work to do.

At the Hall of Administration, the Coalition of Probation Unions, representing line officers, supervisors, and managers, was in the house. Our allies in labor and law enforcement stood with us, submitting powerful letters in opposition. Together, we lobbied the Board of Supervisors all day and into the night.

While the Board did vote unanimously to support SB 357, their approval is contingent upon amendments that ensure the Department of Youth Development (DYD) staff and contractors provide programs, NOT replace our jobs.

This result demonstrates the importance of staying engaged and united. We need to continue building on this momentum and make our voices louder as SB 357 moves to the Assembly Public Safety Committee. Stay tuned for our next action.

When we fight together, we win together.

In solidarity,

Jonathan Byrd

Chief Steward, AFSCME Local 685