911 operators stage sickout to protest furloughs and pay cuts, causing LAPD personnel to cover shifts

Nearly three dozen emergency 911 operators staged a wildcat sickout Thursday at two Los Angeles call centers, prompting the LAPD to have administrators and other personnel work their shifts.

The sickout to protest furloughs and pay cuts was confined to operators who field emergency calls for the LAPD, officials said. The fire department has its own operators.

LAPD Asst. Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur said that department officials became aware of a possible work action late Wednesday and prepared plans to cover shifts. She said the sickout's effect was minimal, even though nearly a third of the operators were out on the day shift.

"Our administrative and training staff were able to cover those who had called in sick," MacArthur said. "We were up to full speed by p.m. watch."

On a typical weeknight, there are 45 operators working at the Metropolitan call center downtown and 40 at the West Hills station, officials said.

MacArthur said that although the department is sympathetic to the issues facing civilian employees, the primary responsibility of the LAPD is public safety.

"We have contingency plans in place to ensure the citizens of Los Angeles are safe," said MacArthur, who acknowledged that "there could be an impact on the speed in handling non-emergency calls" if the sickouts were to continue.

Police union President Paul M. Weber said he received two messages about the action via Twitter from the address "LA City Workers." The first read: "Mr. Weber, I would like to discuss our planned job action with you so that you may inform the department to ensure public safety."

A second read: "I anticipate a tac alert due to personnel shortages so your membership may get a few hours of overtime :)."

Weber said he forwarded both messages to the department to ensure it would be prepared to deal with the fallout from a possible work action. The sickout affected about half of the personnel at the two 911 centers during day watch, which is approximately from 6 a.m. to late afternoon.

 

The work action forced the police department to have some administrators and others to fill the shifts. 

Weber said he was concerned that the sickouts could continue and spread to the jails. "We are worried that this is going spread beyond the 911 operators," Weber said.

"This is really a reaction to the City Council implementing furloughs and layoffs," he said. "We are concerned that the department is going to have to take officers out of the field to backfill these critical functions."

In April, Weber warned that cuts to civilian jobs would negatively affect patrol officers on the streets.

"For every 100 officers who are pulled from the field work to backfill vacant civilian positions, it is the equivalent of removing about 30 police cars citywide," he said.

-- Andrew Blankstein  

Comments

[johndoe]

Comment #82
Wow..there's a lot of anger out there. From Joe Q Public to 911 operators/dispatchers, police officer(s), and other city employees. Everyone have their perspective that are important and each comment has its own merit. Public perception is going to be negative for anyone complaining about their job, pay cuts, or furloughs when unemployment rate is at 12% in California and 9.3% nationally. It's understandable with so many out of work that a handful of city employees should stage a "walk out/protest" for their benefits and results in an immediate backlash.
What's important to keep in mind is that these Dispatchers are represented by their Union, who can fight for their benefits, wages, and rights. That is what the Unions are suppose to do. That's Democracy at work.
There are Unions protecting their employees in the Auto industry, farm workers, sports, actors, police officers, fire fighters, below the line workers, etc to name just a few. Members pay their dues to be represented and fight for what they believe they should be compensated for in their line of work.
For every person that got laid off, fired, forced to retirement, that person failed to be represented. There are strength in numbers and it shows in negotiations with the constant back & forth that goes on.
For the public complaining about the actions of the dispatchers, wouldn't you have done the same to protect your wages and benefits if you knew your Union supported you in protest and constantly fought for your rights?
For the angry dispatchers who are unsatisfied with what the Union has fought for you, perhaps it's time to select new representation that will not compromise with the City Council.
Actors threatened to walk off sets, so did the writers the last couple of years, MLB players strike every couple of decades, NBA players will be locked out in a couple of season, Auto union workers took massive cuts to try and keep their jobs last year, and Pilots walk out of their planes because of pay cuts. Everyone wants a job so they can provide for their families, themselves, and enjoy the benefits of retirement.

JOIN A UNION.

[Bad Summer]

I'm a dispatcher for another city. I love my job and feel that I get very good benefits and pay. We have also had furloughs...but could work overtime to cover it. (ridiculous right?)

In my city we have never and will never strike. Our Union does not advocate it..because it does effect public safety. It's a hard job and not as easy as the public seems to think.

For all of you saying "so and so would kill for that job etc"...I encourage you to apply. There is always a city hiring. Shoot my city has been hiring the whole time I have been there. (10 years) It is very difficult to get hired and then to pass all the training so rather than be a keyboard warrior...just do it...go apply..or have your unemployed friend apply. I bet out of 100 only 10 make it thru the hiring process and only 3 make it thru training. So you think it's so easy...go get an application.

Kudos to those dispatchers that covered their co workers to ensure that the 911 calls got answered and units dispatched.

[SR PSR]

The mere fact this issue is FINALLY in the public eye and being debated means that the supposed "sick out" accomplished exactly what it should have...ENLIGHTENING the citizens of Los Angeles.

I have mixed feelings about the "sick out", but was one of the OVERWHELMING number of personnel that chose NOT to participate. I applaud my colleagues, however, for getting the word out. Unfortunately it was the Los Angeles Times who covered the story, and covered it in an irresponsible manner. Not surprising.

My brother and sister Public Safety Dispatchers have done an outstanding job detailing the enormous stresses and stringent qualifications associated with our profession. Clearly not just anyone can walk off the street and handle Rampart/Northeast Division police radio frequencies tied/patched on a Friday night in mid-July. Nor could your average Officer from the streets and certainly not an untrained "administrative" employee. The idea of this is simply farcical.

The vast majority of personnel who work for LAPD Comm Div are there because of their genuine desire to help our communities. They play a VITAL role in the arena of public safety. A role which cannot be overlooked or sacrificed. It's about time the Mayor, the City Council, the public, and even some members of my own Department WAKE UP and see the effect furloughs have in the 'big picture'. It's grim folks. The numbers posted in various comments here represent reality.

Aside from the Police Service Representatives (PSRs), I'm sure the public is unaware that Senior PSRs (Dispatch Supervisors) have been taking two furlough days per deployment period since July 1, 2009...and that will continue for the foreseeable future (SR PSRs are represented by a different Union than PSRs). Senior PSRs have direct supervision of PSRs, and there are roughly 50 in the entire Divison split between both Dispatch Centers. In addition to monitoring the performance of our PSRs, we also oversee field emergencies and critical incidents, assist with the distribution of pending calls, maintain statistical logs, field citizen complaint calls, liaison with Intra and Inter Departmental Agencies, provide training, function as the Watch Commander, among other responsibilities too numerous to mention. The lack of personnel resulting from mandatory work furloughs had placed additional stresses and responsibilities on ALL Senior PSRs.

Like Dispatchers, we too play a critical role in public safety. An example...just yesterday a young woman called reporting her father was suicidal, had placed a gun in his mouth several times, and then left their residence in his vehicle, destination unknown. The only viable information the daughter could provide was her father's cell phone number. Armed with this information, the PSR who took the call enlisted the assistance of a Senior PSR. That SR PSR obtained GPS coordinates from the cell phone provider, liaisoned with LAPD Officers and a neighboring police agency, and sent help to the general location of the father (cell phone traces are another responsibility of a Senior PSR, and they are becoming more and more numerous). Following a shift change, another SR PSR took over the cell phone trace and was able to pinpoint the father's location within 19 meters. The neighboring police department was dispatched and subsequently located the father, still armed with his gun. After some brief negotiations, Officers were able to take the man into custody and transport him to a facility where he would obtain much-needed help. This incident characterizes the type of teamwork and dedication that occurs EVERY day at LAPD and other agencies across the nation. ALL of our involved personnel took part in potentially saving that man's life. Decreasing the number of available professional PSRs to participate in these life-saving incidents ultimately jeopardizes public safety. Plain and simple.

Sadly, based on the initial comments posted here, I don't think the public as a whole "gets it". It's not about money...really. It's about knowing our City, knowing our Department, and knowing what it takes to get the job done, and get it done safely and promptly. I've seen the stats since PSRs started taking 8-hour furloughs a week ago, and they're not pretty. I hope our Mayor and City Council will finally realize the potential fallout from furloughing our PSRs and Senior PSRs.

No matter what happens, we will still continue reporting for duty and dedicating ourselves to providing the best service possible for the fine citizens of our City...just like we always have. Los Angeles is EXTREMELY fortunate to have such an impressive group of individuals who are here to play their part in 'protecting and serving' our communities, doing so with pride.