On December 3, dozens of children’s social workers, community advocates and faith leaders delivered hundreds of teddy bears to County Supervisors. Afterward, they rallied and spoke in front of the Hall of Administration. The message was: Contract negotiations are a fight for the children of Los Angeles.Since LA County members began bargaining a new contract in June, children’s social workers have consistently proposed commonsense reforms to protect the County’s most vulnerable children.
The social workers’ bargaining proposals include:
- Reducing social worker-to-child ratios so that social workers can more effectively care for children
- Hiring and training more social workers in order to meet state guidelines for child safety
“This is a fight for the children of Los Angeles. We hope our action will cause the Supervisors to consider LA County’s most vulnerable children when we return to the bargaining table.”
– Almira Garza,
Children’s Social Worker, DCFS
At the last bargaining session on November 26, County representatives unilaterally withdrew several of their own proposals, which would benefit LA County children. The move constitutes an unfair labor practice.
Last November 5, hundreds of Social Workers filed a lawsuit against the County in order to force it to abide by a binding legal arbitration directing the Dept. of Children and Family Services to lower social worker-to-child ratios.
Both sides return to the table on December 4.
Check out pictures from the event