CS 02 (9)Jennifer L. Hall
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Dear City Council Members,
Erika Murphy
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 10:45 AM
Public Comment
Moses Johnson
MOU Proposal Comment
I support the MOU Proposal for AFSCME on behalf of all of the employees who choose not to speak out due to fear of
retaliation or fear of being seen. This is to no fault of their own, as this is a very sensitive and confrontational matter in
which many employees do not feel comfortable discussing in a public forum. I don't blame them, as the reality may
equate to less promotions, less opportunities for advancement, etc.. There are enough glass ceilings which exist in this
world and many employees that work in administrative roles are women, so go figure.
Yet today I stand for all the employees who choose not to speak, to shed light that many of us are in favor of this
proposal. It is true when they say We have been doing much more with less people as I've witnessed. I've seen the hustle
all around me and I'm extremely proud of all of my fellow counterparts ... every single department at the Convention
Center is down several employees and STILL we have made sure to "show up and shine" for our City.
Despite this, I have personally witnessed several employees walk away for "higher pay and respect" due to the demands
required through their roles and their lack of enthusiasm with their paychecks. The energy being transferred for the
work being performed and the pay being received, is unequal.
During these times, employees are faced with an increased cost of living as goods and services surge, with almost
everything going up. Many restaurants have secretly increased menu prices, apartments continue to soar, and even the
tickets to Disneyland have increased. A movie ticket to the Regal in Irvine is $17 person! That's an entire hours' worth of
work for someone.
And forget about living in a nice neighborhood or owning a home without a 2nd 3rd 4th or 5th income in California.
According to Zillow, the median price of a home in Orange County is almost $800,000.
Also, while we are here, we should consider the large elephant standing in the room... student loans .... and the audacity
of any city or company to ask for Masters' Degree as a requirement for a part-time job. I have seen it and it's not right.
Many millennials (a large amount of the workforce here) are faced with that mountain of student loan debt that affects
their home purchasing power.
For so long owning a home was something you could hope to achieve by working for the City, or any other government
job, right? That's the cornerstone of retiring ... a paid off home. And it's nearly impossible for many to get a real foot in
the door as they just don't income qualify for something decent in the OC.
Also, as of recent, the wage gap between working at fast food and as a working "professional" have started to merge.
Panda Express will pay up to $18 per hour for a non -management role. This increase in pay is forcing more businesses to
raise their prices, meanwhile the City remains stagnant in compensating their employees accordingly so they may thrive
in his or her environment. This is a hard pill to swallow knowing that we have done more with less, and that many of our
peers are jumping ship or changing roles just to survive.
Working for the City of Anaheim for many has been regarded as a prestigious honor, as where we work is a thriving and
growing City, but a real issue has emerged and it needs to be addressed. The solution is simple: treat others the way you
want to be treated and compensate accordingly.
We support one of the largest conglomerates in the entire world and still that isn't enough magic to keep people
around, let alone happy. This is the reality of today.
What will you do to stand for us?
Respectfully,
Erika Murphy, CTA I Executive Secretary
Anaheim Convention Center
Boo W. Katella Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92802
Direct: 714.765.896o I Fax: 714.765.8986
Take a Virtual Tour!
.AHI