This week, AFSCME Local 127 had the privilege of sharing some of our success before the members of the California Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement (Welcome to the Committee on Public Employment and Retirement | California State Assembly). 

The Committee agendized topics, such as how to require more accountability after contracting out and how to address high vacancy rates in local government, to push legislation intended to remedy these issues (aper-committee-informational-hearing-agenda-4-17-24.pdf (ca.gov)). 

As a panelist, Tim Douglass, President of AFSCME Local 127, explained our internal work and external collaboration to earn equity increases of 24% for the Sanitation Drivers back in 2022, which effectively lowered the vacancy rate from 30% to 4% within two years.