Now their hard work has paid off: LA County has agreed to purchase boots for animal control officers, and uniform jackets for parks workers that will improve overall safety on the job.
Animal Care and Park Workers Put the Spotlight on Savings and Safety
Last year animal control officers told the County that issuing boots is a low-cost way to reduce the risk of injury and unnecessary worker’s compensation claims.
They even issued a “Walk a Day in Our Shoes” challenge to department head Marcia Mayeda, director of LA County Animal Care and Control, who had said that tennis shoes are sufficient to protect officers’ feet while wrangling horses and rescuing stranded animals.
Read more about LA County animal care and control workers’ efforts to create efficiencies
Meanwhile, County parks workers pressed the County to issue uniform jackets as part of a three-point plan they developed for safe parks: better lighting, regular sheriff’s patrols and uniforms for park employees to make them a visible part of public safety.
Read more about LA County parks workers’ ‘Safe Parks’ plan
For more information on how LA County animal care and parks and recreation workers are joining together to identify efficiencies, contact Debbie Dominguez at 213-368-8426.
“We always talk about how things can be done better. This time we accomplished it.”
-Lonnie Mason, LA County Dept. of Parks and Recreation, SEIU 721 steward
“All it takes is a little creativity and handiness to make our workplace more efficient.”
– Calvin Green, LA County Dept. of Animal Care and Control, SEIU 721 steward