Our 8/15/23 paychecks include a 5.5% retroactive pay increase back to 7/1/22, approximately one year of 5.5% retro. Congratulations!
Packed House at the Local 685 General Membership Meeting
70+ Local 685 members attended the August General Membership meeting. Much information was shared, including the article on peace officer status (click here), and critical questions were addressed. REMEMBER: Our Union meetings are open to members of our Union and this is where you can get the facts. We encourage everyone to attend!
A Day in the Life at LP – a Message from the President
On Monday I worked a shift at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall – the first time that I, like many of you, have ever worked in a Hall. My shift was not sanitized for me as the Union president – it was clearly just a “day in the life as a DSO” as I was involved in two restraints. Here’s my story:
Within two hours of my arrival, when I was in the school area, we received a call on the radio that a youth was out of bounds. Experienced staff raced toward the incident, and I followed. By the time I arrived, the skilled staff had already been able to get the youth on the ground and were in the process of restraining him – unfortunately requiring the use of OC spray. I joined the effort, specifically restraining his legs as he thrashed about, after which time we were able to handcuff him so that we could get him to the nursing unit for decontamination.
Just as we were getting ready to move him to the nursing unit, one of his apparent friends came running out of the facility. His posture and language were extremely aggressive, specifically threatening staff with aggressive language like “I’m going to f--k you up.” The experienced staff used every possible de-escalation tactic, but the youth refused to back down. Even his friend, who was handcuffed on the ground, urged him to turn around and go back into the facility – but the second youth refused.
After it was clear that de-escalation tactics were not going to work with this youth, the staff made their move and I supported them. We were able to get him handcuffed and ultimately, he calmed down.
Sisters and Brothers, this is what the DSOs are going through every single day at LP and they need our help. Even I, who hasn’t had Hall experience, was able to support my co-workers amid a routine but very stressful situation. Together we can and will show the world what we already know: that Probation not only saves lives; Probation changes lives.
We are under attack by self-serving private companies – disguised as “advocates” – eager to take over our work for profit. Words will only get so far – we must show them that we are the best chance for justice-involved youth and the right professionals to protect the community and crime victims.
And we are under attack by anti-union forces allied with the “Freedom Foundation” (insert link) trolling Instagram and Facebook with lies and just one goal: divide us to break our Union so that we don’t have the ability to fight for a strong contract, provide top-level member representation, and win in our State Capitol. Don’t take the bait. United we will win!!!
Sincerely,
Hans Liang
President
What’s Your Story Working at LP?
We would love to hear from you and share your experience. Please email:
Cookie@afscme685.com.
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