PPOA, in response to the Sheriff’s Department unilaterally changing the promotional selection process for Captains, filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge this morning against the Sheriff’s Department and the County of Los Angeles for failure to engage in good faith bargaining during the meet and confer process over the proposed changes. Specifically, the Sheriff’s Department requested the applicants to identify whether or not they have ever had a tattoo that is now known to be associated with a deputy gang, clique, subgroup, station, or associated in any way with an association or organization of individuals, on them as part of the profile/questionnaire to be completed when seeking selection as a Captain.
Unfortunately, the Department suddenly, and without notice, withdrew from the meet and confer process before serious and important questions could be asked and answered. Issues including the maintenance of the tattoo information, the extent of the disclosure of the tattoo information, the distribution of the information regarding the tattoo, and how an applicant can be assured that their possession, or lack thereof, of a tattoo did not impact their promotional process.
PPOA has reached out to the Sheriff’s Department again in an attempt to go back to the negotiations table to avoid a likely Unfair Labor Practice charge being sustained against the Department, which would potentially cancel any or all promotions and require the Department to start the promotion process over again. In the interim, PPOA will be requesting an extension of time for their members to provide the information in the profile/questionnaire to a date upon which the parties can fully meet and confer on this issue.
PPOA suggests that members delay the providing of the profile/ questionnaire information as close to the current deadline (June 2nd) as they possibly can, while we attempt to resolve this issue without further litigation. Absent agreement, PPOA plans on fully litigating this issue. We will continue to provide regular updates as necessary.
