Council 36 COVID-19 Response Measures

On behalf of President Jung:

Effective immediately, all Council 36 Staff Union employees are authorized to work from home if able.  This is a temporary work from home authorization that the Executive Board will re-evaluate as the crisis evolves.  This directive is not precedent setting and only temporary.  All Field staff will return to their place of work (respective offices and the “field”) once these provisions end.

All OPEIU employees will be placed on a hybrid work from home/office schedule that will minimize their exposure.  It is crucial to sustain the business operation of Council 36, and unfortunately, they cannot complete all their tasks remotely.  Please conduct as much business with the clerical staff via telephone and email as possible.

Organizers will adjust their organizing strategy to minimize exposure and conduct as much business remotely as possible.  This is not optimal for our organizing program, but our employee’s health is paramount compared to potential external members, many of these potential members interact with the public, and are higher risk in spreading the virus.

I have been in communication with the International Union, and they are taking measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as well.  The Leadership Summit has been cancelled, the International Executive Board meeting is being done via telecommuting. 

All member meetings at the Council 36 Headquarters are cancelled until further notice.  We encourage locals to suspend regular order during this crisis and postpone all possible business of the local as possible.  We recommend that the leadership still meets (virtually if possible) to carry out the business of the locals, as the Council 36 leadership and its committees will.  This cancellation includes the Treasurers Training scheduled for April 4th.  We have not cancelled the leadership retreat scheduled for April 24th, 25th, and 26th yet.  The board will consider postponing in the next several weeks.  Please continually check our website, afscme36.org, and our social media pages for updates.

The Council 36 Executive board has approved the following changes to the March 25th Executive Board meeting:

    1. The meeting has been moved from the Orange County office to our headquarters at 514 Shatto Place.  
    2. Members are asked not to attend the DC36 Board meeting.  The board will still meet and carry on the business of the members as detailed below.  Please communicate with your DC36 Vice Presidents on any needs to be carried to the board.
    3. Regular order is suspended

                        i. No public comment
                       ii. No guest speakers
                      iii. No officer reports
                      iv. Abridged ED report (Organizing, political, etc.)
                      v. The approval of minutes and financials is delayed until the April/May meeting. The B&F committee will still send out the business office proposals and all relevant documents as per the direction of the DC36 treasurer
                    vi. Only the old and new business that is time sensitive and requires the action of the board will be taken on

             4. No dinner will be served

We will have our headquarters and our satellite offices disinfected thoroughly while employees are working from home and our members limit their time congregating with other members/staff.  Remote access software will be provided to clerical staff so they can work from home as much as possible. The above measures will be implemented with minimal impact to the representation of our members, and without violating the DC36 and International constitution. 

Additionally, here are links to press releases from Governor Newsom’s office on March 11th and March 12th. We advise all business reps and local leaders to follow Governor Newsom’s requests and share the resources listed with members.

I advise local leaders that if the If there are concerns, please feel free to contact me or the Council 36 Staff with any questions you have, or any support you may need.