Recently, Hospital Police Officers received an e-mail from George Osborne, lobbyist for POC, stating that CSLEA has failed its members and that going to AFSCME would get them better representation. But POC has now been in existence for nearly six years and what has POC, or its lobbyist done, to provide a single benefit to its members?
STRIKE ONE – Let’s look at the facts. As an organization, POC has lost at every opportunity. Its very purpose for existence – the creation of a peace officer only unit – was resoundingly rejected by the Public Employment Relations Board in 2009. Who represented POC? Joe Rose and the Rose Law Firm. The decision was so overwhelmingly in CSLEA’s favor, POC and its attorney did not even attempt to appeal it.
STRIKE TWO – When POC’s legal effort at severance failed, POC enlisted the services of George Osborne, who is not a lobbyist for AFSCME, but the lobbyist for POC. With Osborn ‘s assistance, POC attempted to split the peace officers from the safety members of CSLEA through legislation (SB 1358 – 2012 by Senator Walters). That bill died in its first committee!
STRIKE THREE – After two failures on its own, POC then aligned with AFSCME and tried again at legislative severance of the Unit 7 peace officers with SB 252 – 2012 by Senator Vargas. Mr. Osborn joined hands with the all powerful AFSCME, but alas the bill, once again, failed to get out of its first committee.
STRIKE FOUR – POC then employed the scorched earth tactic of filing an initiative to repeal the Dills Act, the very foundation of your bargaining rights. Perhaps the idea was to create a free for all leaving every employment classification in the State to fight for their own pay and benefits. Who knows? Apparently someone with common sense prevailed upon them to withdraw the initiative.
STRIKE FIVE – Fortunately for Unit 7 members, Osborne’s ineffectiveness is not limited to attacks on CSLEA. Osborne appears to lose almost any cause that he attaches himself to. One of his major goals was stopping legislation revamping the Department of Fish and Game (AB2402, Assembly Member Huffman). This bill was strongly opposed by Osborne because his industry clients were against it. Since the bill enhanced the benefits of POC’s Fish and Wildlife warden members, Osborne declared a conflict and abandoned POC, leaving them without representation. The good news was that Osborne failed—again—and the bill passed despite his vigorous opposition. Chalk up another loss for Osborne but a gain for Unit 7. Thanks, George.
POC LEGAL & LEGISLATIVE SUCCESSES – Sorry there are none to list. For nearly six years POC has failed to deliver a single benefit to its members. In fact, its own lobbyist has even tried to prevent POC members from obtaining benefits.
STRIKE SIX – The latest decertification effort. POC has utilized every attempt possible(including the current decert effort) to separate the Unit 7 peace officers from the non-sworn, all the while demeaning the work of the non-peace officers and criticizing the safety members’ entitlement to pay and benefits. Now POC and George Osborne are expecting the non-sworn to be gullible enough to believe them when they say they now care about the non-sworn. Brilliant strategy, right? I think we can safely chalk the decert campaign to be the next, and hopefully last of POC’s losses. It is time for POC, the Rose Law Firm and George Osborne to go away.
