Greetings Sisters and Brothers.
The membership voted for change by electing me as president. Change is on the way. As you know, with change comes resistance. Some people do not like change. Some folks have done things a certain way for years. To them, there is no other way. Change is not necessarily negative when it makes sense.
Change could be great. As I look at how Local 685 has operated over the years, there is room for change. I do not want to hold the title as President and do nothing. My goal is to be effective. I desire to connect with people and build relationships. I also want to solve problems. Last week I went to the Long Beach Area Office and met with the DPOs there. I had a wonderful time connecting with the people. We talked. I listened. I felt their pain.
I understood their concerns. It was a healthy conversation between us. I also went over to BJNJH and met with the DPOs there who were on light duty assignments. There were 20-30 of them in the chapel. They also had concerns about deployment, being behind on their DPO 2 duties, case work, court reports etc. I heard them loud and clear. There was a memorial service I attended at BJNJH for DSO Kendell Good who passed away a month or so ago. About 40-50 officers were there. It was a beautiful service and a wonderful experience to witness the officers loving each other in support.
Sisters and Brothers, at some point I will be coming to your work location. I may be alone; I may be with the Vice President. I may come with members from the Executive Board. Know this: I am coming to check in on you and your work conditions. This is what change looks like. Let me say this: When I come, when we (Executive Board members) come to your work location, be glad to see us. Do not be like, “What he wants! What are they doing here?” You should be like, “Welcome, thank you for coming.” This too is part of the change you voted for.
Oh, I almost forgot. Please stop listening to gossip. Before you spread rumors, make sure you know the facts and the source of where the information came from. This too is part of the change you voted for. Change starts with all of us. I read this somewhere, just for thought. “When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned like a child. When I became grown, I put away childish behaviors.”
Change starts with us. Let’s be the change we voted for.
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