I am deeply honored, humbled and proud to serve as the interim president of this great organization. I ask every PPOA member to never forget that our organization’s ethos is professionals representing professionals. At the conclusion of this message, I respectfully ask each of you to read PPOA’s mission statement.
I look forward to and am committed to continuing a “Tradition of Success” that has defined PPOA since 1951. I pledge to our amazing and diverse membership to always serve the best interests of PPOA and, most importantly, all its members. I want to thank and recognize Tab Rhodes for his diligent and tireless work while he served as the PPOA president for over three years.
I look forward to continuing the extraordinary work being done to benefit PPOA members, which includes the “bread and butter” of why unions like PPOA exist: our bargaining units’ memorandum of understandings (MOUs) or, more simply, our contracts with the County of Los Angeles.
PPOA is finalizing the contract (2022–2025) for Bargaining Unit 612 for LADA/LASD Sergeants and Lieutenants, as well as continuing contract negotiations for Bargaining Unit 621, which includes the following classifications: Custody Assistants, Civilian Investigators, Crime Analysts, Public Response Dispatchers, Court Services Specialists, Law Enforcement Technicians, Security Assistants and Security Officers.
As you read this message, PPOA’s other three bargaining units (614, 631 and 632) will have begun negotiating their respective contracts. Bargaining Unit 614 includes the following classifications from the LASD and the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner (DME-C): Criminalists, Criminalist Lab Technicians, Forensic ID Specialists I and II, and Senior Criminalists. Bargaining Unit 631 includes DME-C Investigators, and Bargaining Unit 632 includes DME-C Supervising Coroner Investigators I and II.
You may have read about these classifications in previous Star & Shield issues, but I firmly believe that our membership is not limited to a one size fits all. PPOA remains steadfast in always putting the entire membership first when making strategic decisions that impact the wages, hours and working conditions of the men and women who deliver incredible public safety services for those who live, work and visit Los Angeles County.
PPOA also continues to meet with fellow union leaders from the Coalition of County Unions (CCU) at the bargaining table to negotiate a three-year successor Fringe Benefits contract with the County of Los Angeles. All of our bargaining units are represented at the table, and the unity of the CCU to obtain a fair and equitable fringe contract remains strong.
Finally, please join me, PPOA staff and your Board of Directors at the upcoming PPOA 21st annual Pre-Labor Day BBQ and General Membership Meeting at Biscailuz Center on Wednesday, August 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a free event for all PPOA members and immediate family.
Happy Labor Day!