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Orange city employees urge council to invest in pay and staffing as contract talks continue
Summary
A block of public commenters representing city workers and unions told the City of Orange council that a 17.6% vacancy rate and proposals that cut ~ $150,000 from worker compensation risk service declines, and they urged low-cost retention steps while bargaining continues.
Dozens of city employees and union representatives told the City of Orange council during public comment on June 3 that staffing shortages and stalled contract talks threaten core services and urged the council to prioritize retention over further takeaways.
Joe Avila, president of the Orange Municipal Employees Association, said the workforce is under strain and that vacancies and burnout are widespread. "It's time to face the fact that the city of Orange is no longer an employer of choice," Avila said, noting a reported 17.6% vacancy rate and surveying members about job searches.
Carenza Shutman, the association's lead negotiator, told the council the city’s counterproposal in bargaining removed roughly $150,000 and labeled that approach "regressive, demoralizing, and shortsighted." "From day one, OMEA has come to the table in good faith," Shutman said, urging the council to pursue partnership rather than cuts.
Multiple frontline employees described how understaffing has increased errors and delayed services. Martin Barona, an engineer and OMEA board member, urged simple, low-cost fixes — paid lunch breaks, flexible scheduling and a limited paid parental-leave trial — and said such measures help retention without large fiscal impact.
Younger employees also described sharp morale and turnover pressures. "Nearly 90% of the workforce is thinking about leaving," said Eric Perez, citing a recent union survey; he said pay and recognition must improve for the city to retain workers.
A statement read on behalf of long-serving employee Darla Luzon recounted more than a decade of service, training responsibilities and inconsistent breaks, and asked council members to "do what's right for all of us who show up every day to keep Orange running."
Speakers asked the council to direct staff to return with proposals that preserve services and stabilize the workforce. Several speakers and council members noted the fiscal constraints the council faces, but said many retention measures could be low-cost or no-cost and that continued reliance on vacancies and third-party consultants could raise long-term costs.
The council did not take immediate labor action in response to public comment at this meeting; the remarks were made during the public-comment period and were entered into the record.
