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Thursday, May 01-May 07, 2025
Los Angeles County workers strike over alleged labor law violations By Joe Taglieri
By Joe Taglieri joet@beaconmedianews.com
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LA County workers on April 18 announce their plans to strike over alleged unfair labor practices. | Photo courtesy of SEIU Local 721
— and we have had enough,” David Green, SEIU Local 721 executive director and president, said in a statement. “They’ve stalled contract negotiations for months. And they’ve committed at least 44 labor law violations to date. Clearly, they thought they were above the law. They thought we would never go on (an unfair labor practices) strike. They thought wrong.” The union is calling for the county to raise employees' wages and fill job
vacancies instead of using contractors. The SEIU claims LA County management refuses to bargain with union officials in good faith, in addition to allegations of retaliation and surveillance of union members. According to the union, while county management proposed a 0% cost-of-living increase for employees, the county Board of Supervisors spent $205 million on a downtown skyscraper for new office space amid claims
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Soil testing at Pasadena parks shows heavy metal levels below thresholds
joet@beaconmedianews.com wide range of Los Angeles County public employees went on strike Monday evening over alleged labor law violations, according to union and county officials. Service Employees International Union members totaling more than 55,000 were expected to start the strike at 7 p.m. SEIU members are from many county departments including Public Works and Public Health, social workers, Medical Examiner Department personnel, parks staff, clerical workers, custodians, Beaches and Harbors Department staff, traffic and street lighting technicians, Treasurer/Tax Collector staff and Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk workers. The strike could result in disruptions to services for residents, including nonemergency health clinics, libraries, wildfire debris removal, trash collection and homeless encampment enforcement. The work stoppage will be the first of its kind in LA County, according to the union. “LA County management keeps breaking the law
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that there's no money for more services or frontline staff. On April 15, the Board of Supervisors gave preliminary approval to county CEO Fesia Davenport's recommended $47.9 billion 2025-26 budget. The upcoming fiscal year's spending plan cited huge expenses coming the county's way, including $4 billion in payouts for sexual assault settlements and $2 See Strike Page 28
he amounts of lead and other heavy metals at six parks in Pasadena are below state thresholds for concerns about toxicity, according to the results of recent soil sampling by the city's health department. In recent weeks Los Angeles County and Pasadena health officials announced soil testing showed elevated screening levels of lead and other toxins that may have been carried downwind in ash and debris from the massive Eaton Fire in January. Pasadena officials said Saturday follow-up soil testing has indicated levels at Alice’s Dog Park, Allendale Park, Hamilton Park, Robinson Park, Washington Park and Victory Park are below the California Department of Toxic Substances Control's screening threshold of 80 parts per million and well below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 200 ppm screening threshold. The highest lead level, 51.9 ppm, was found in soil at Washington Park's Tree Area, the city reported. The lowest level, 1.6 ppm, was recorded at the North Ball Field in Robinson Park.
Test results for other heavy metal levels were also below state and federal thresholds, officials said. “These test results demonstrate there is no evidence that levels of lead or other heavy metals are harmful to health at these city parks,” Pasadena Director of Public Health Manuel Carmona said in a statement. “Given the preliminary results of the Los Angeles County soil study, everyone should practice precautions within the neighborhoods identified in the study but there is no indication that community members or visitors need to avoid outdoor activities at city parks.” The outcome of the soil tests led the city's health department to lift previous recommendations to restrict outdoor activities on exposed soil. Each park’s lead and heavy metal levels are listed online at cityofpasadena. net/eaton-fire/#soil-testingresults. On April 10, the LA County Public Health reported elevated lead levels See Soil testing Page 14
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