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Labor Working to Undermine Strong Civilian Police Oversight in Oakland [Updated]
A November 2016 ballot measure for a new Oakland Police Commission is expected to be finalized and approved by the Oakland City Council at their meeting on July 19. The measure, originally proposed by the Coalition for Police Accountability and since taken up by the City Council, continues to be watered down further and further. Local non-police unions have turned out to be one of the most vociferous opponents to strong civilian police oversight in Oakland, even though police "unions" such as the Oakland Police Officers' Association (OPOA) have absolutely no track record of standing up for labor interests outside of their own ranks.
[UPDATE: At the last minute, labor has come around to supporting the Police Commission, but remains opposed to the removal of binding arbitration for police. See second PDF attached below.]
[UPDATE: At the last minute, labor has come around to supporting the Police Commission, but remains opposed to the removal of binding arbitration for police. See second PDF attached below.]
(Kalb/Gallo Police Commission edits dated July 8 made under pressure from labor, 20-page PDF)
Local unions objected to the removal of binding arbitration in Oakland police disciplinary matters, despite its very long and an well-documented history of allowing violent and corrupt officers to evade accountability and remain on the force. Never mind the rash of police criminality and corruption exposed over the last several months.
The unions called the removal of arbitration for police a "slippery slope" that would jeopardize collective bargaining rights for all unionized workers. At the previous City Council meeting to address the proposed ballot measure on June 21-22, dozens of union speakers lined up to repeat this claim. Police accountability advocates have grudgingly accepted labor demands for the return of binding arbitration, for the time being.
But labor objections to strong police oversight go beyond arbitration. Behind closed doors, union lobbyists are meeting with council members Noel Gallo, Dan Kalb, and others to undermine the measure in further ways. The unions want language stricken from the measure that would allow the commission to review police personnel files. The unions, along with Gallo, are even working toward weakening what little authority civilians already have in Oakland by removing power to subpoena witnesses. an authority that the Citizens' Police Review Board (CPRB) has enjoyed for decades.
Despite claims by union leaders and staffers such as Gabriel Haaland of SEIU 1021 that "We do strongly support civilian oversight," SEIU Local 1021, IFPTE Local 21, and the Alameda Labor Council have been working hard in public and private to undermine important aspects of the proposed Police Commission, leaving what remains as relatively toothless and less effective than it could have been.
The revised language for the measure included above does not appear to have been filed with the City Clerk for attachment to the Police Commission agenda item at the July 19 Council meeting, so there remains a chance that such changes will not be adopted. But, given the acquiescence of council members to labor demands thus far, it very well could become part of the ballot measure.
It remains to be seen how far the original proposal by the Coalition for Police accountability will be whittled down by the City Council and whether it will be worth voter support come November.
Further reading:
Why are Oakland's City-Worker Unions Making it Harder to Fire Bad Cops?
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/why-are-oaklands-city-worker-unions-making-it-harder-to-fire-bad-cops/Content?oid=4907756
How the Oakland Police Department Worked to Cover-Up Sex Crimes and a Home Invasion Committed by Cops
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/how-the-oakland-police-department-worked-to-cover-up-sex-crimes-and-a-home-invasion-committed-by-cops/Content?oid=4861737
The Time to Act is Now for Strong Police Accountability in Oakland:
Seven Changes Needed for the Kalb/Gallo Police Commission Measure dated June 14, 2016
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/07/13/18789085.php
June 14 Oakland Police Commission Kalb/Gallo proposal, prior to amendments by Campbell Washington/Reid/Guillen.
Grassroots Effort Under Way for New Oakland Police Commission, Tenant Rights, $20 Min Wage
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/03/30/18784683.php
Local unions objected to the removal of binding arbitration in Oakland police disciplinary matters, despite its very long and an well-documented history of allowing violent and corrupt officers to evade accountability and remain on the force. Never mind the rash of police criminality and corruption exposed over the last several months.
The unions called the removal of arbitration for police a "slippery slope" that would jeopardize collective bargaining rights for all unionized workers. At the previous City Council meeting to address the proposed ballot measure on June 21-22, dozens of union speakers lined up to repeat this claim. Police accountability advocates have grudgingly accepted labor demands for the return of binding arbitration, for the time being.
But labor objections to strong police oversight go beyond arbitration. Behind closed doors, union lobbyists are meeting with council members Noel Gallo, Dan Kalb, and others to undermine the measure in further ways. The unions want language stricken from the measure that would allow the commission to review police personnel files. The unions, along with Gallo, are even working toward weakening what little authority civilians already have in Oakland by removing power to subpoena witnesses. an authority that the Citizens' Police Review Board (CPRB) has enjoyed for decades.
Despite claims by union leaders and staffers such as Gabriel Haaland of SEIU 1021 that "We do strongly support civilian oversight," SEIU Local 1021, IFPTE Local 21, and the Alameda Labor Council have been working hard in public and private to undermine important aspects of the proposed Police Commission, leaving what remains as relatively toothless and less effective than it could have been.
The revised language for the measure included above does not appear to have been filed with the City Clerk for attachment to the Police Commission agenda item at the July 19 Council meeting, so there remains a chance that such changes will not be adopted. But, given the acquiescence of council members to labor demands thus far, it very well could become part of the ballot measure.
It remains to be seen how far the original proposal by the Coalition for Police accountability will be whittled down by the City Council and whether it will be worth voter support come November.
Further reading:
Why are Oakland's City-Worker Unions Making it Harder to Fire Bad Cops?
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/why-are-oaklands-city-worker-unions-making-it-harder-to-fire-bad-cops/Content?oid=4907756
How the Oakland Police Department Worked to Cover-Up Sex Crimes and a Home Invasion Committed by Cops
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/how-the-oakland-police-department-worked-to-cover-up-sex-crimes-and-a-home-invasion-committed-by-cops/Content?oid=4861737
The Time to Act is Now for Strong Police Accountability in Oakland:
Seven Changes Needed for the Kalb/Gallo Police Commission Measure dated June 14, 2016
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/07/13/18789085.php
June 14 Oakland Police Commission Kalb/Gallo proposal, prior to amendments by Campbell Washington/Reid/Guillen.
Grassroots Effort Under Way for New Oakland Police Commission, Tenant Rights, $20 Min Wage
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/03/30/18784683.php
For more information:
http://indybay.org/police
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