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“This was an eye-opening experience. I will do everything I can to help out. I know all of you have done great work through difficult times.”
-State Assemblyman Ed Chau, Judiciary Committee Member
On Sept. 30, SEIU 721 LA County Superior Court Workers took Assemblyman Chau on a walk-through tour of their workplace, the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center (CJC) in downtown Los Angeles. The CJC is the busiest criminal court building in California.
Members showed him the work they do every day and how the cutbacks and layoffs have affected court operations and the public since 2009.
Assemblyman Chau toured the Case Information and Post-Judgment windows, the Preliminary Hearing Courtrooms when hearings were in session, the Clerk’s Office, the Jury Assembly Room and the Exhibit Room, which holds all the exhibits for the County’s criminal cases.
What Court Workers Said
“I’ve worked for the Superior Courts since 1973. We are more short-staffed than we’ve ever been. In my department, we are down seven people. I feel overworked every single day.”
-Dolores H. Hernandez, Court Services Asst. III, Post-Judgment Section
“Because of budget cuts, I spend most of my day troubleshooting. Sometimes people are brought to the wrong courthouse. Sometimes the paperwork is missing. It’s simple: we need more resources.”
-Abel Lopez, Court Services Asst. III, Master Calendar for Misdemeanors, Dept. 40
“This is about taxpayer dollars and also the services we provide. People have to wait in line for at least two hour just to get certified documents or information. Understandably, many get irate. The funding crisis has hurt the public, the people we interact with daily.
-Lisa Bonwit, Court Services Asst. II, Backup Cashier
“I do my job to the best of my abilities, but it’s tough. The cutbacks have made everything stressful. I’m the only person to cover if someone is sick. And we just closed 12 jury assembly rooms across the County. We’re doing more with less.”
-Eugenia Bernal, Court Services Asst. III, Jury Orientation
After the walk-through, Assemblyman Chau participated in a debrief with court employees and CJC Senior Administrator Greg Blair. It was clear that he understood the members’ message.
Assemblyman Chau praised SEIU 721 and the statewide courts coalition for being effective advocates for greater Superior Court funding. He said that he wants to help with staffing and funding issues right away.
More to Come
The CJC walk-through kicked off what will be a series of tours with different legislators in the coming months. Stay tuned!
Check out these photos from the walk-through:
For more information, contact SEIU Local 721 Worksite Organizers Wanda Bellamy: (213) 610-2146 or Earl Thompson: (213) 300-5529.