HAWAIIAN GARDENS, CALIFORNIA - Eye on Pioneer sits down with two Hawaiian Gardens union leaders to discuss why the Expanded Gaming Measure is dangerous for cities like Hawaiian Gardens, and how it's a thinly veiled attempt to stack cards in favor of tribal casinos. Shavon Cage of AFSCME Local 36 and Ramie Torres of AFSCME Local 3624 are interviewed by the Eye On Pioneer's Andrew Perry.

  Los Angeles, California - For employees of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Friday the 13th (May 13, 2022) was a day of good fortune. That was the day that they voted to ratify a long negotiated union contract between MOCA and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. After 2.5 years of organizing their union and negotiating their contract, MOCA employees congregated after working hours and voted unanimously to ratify their contract. Union leaders Olivia Leiter and Ace Ubas talk about the hard fight to obtain a contract, and the inspirational moments that led to this ratification. Anna Marfleet and fellow union member Daphne Lyda talk about their unique contributions to the cause.

Hawaiian Gardens, California - Local government is a direct reflection of its community. In Hawaiian Gardens, the residents place great value on their seniors and have built a robust senior program at the Mary Rodriguez Senior Center. This episode explores one aspect of the "special bond" between residents and their municipal government; that relationship between the City of Hawaiian Gardens and its vibrant senior community.

ABC Unified School District teachers are on their third day of a ‘work slowdown’, an organized effort to bring attention to certain board members who are refusing to negotiate salary increases, as of February 9, 2022. Every year, ABC School District and teachers represented by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Local 2317, are supposed to negotiate a compensation package that covers cost of living and salary adjustments.  But since the pandemic, the teachers have not had any salary compensation, despite an increased workload. Almost all the blame seems to be placed on current Board majority, and teachers are asking for parents’ help by leaving messages to the school board that the District needs to negotiate a salary increase for ABC teachers. According to the teachers, Dr. Chris Apodaca, Ph.D (Trustee Area 7) and Dr. Olga Rios, Ph.D (Trustee Area 6) are the most supportive of the board members. Board members are often publicly supportive, but when it comes to action, those...

 Artesia, California - Sheriffs from the LA County Public Corruptions Unit have served at least one warrant to the City of Artesia, asking for electronic equipment, documents, records and other communications between former City Manager Bill Rawlings, a staff member, and two councilmembers (Tony Lima and Monica Manalo).   There are anonymous but unsubstantiated reports of other warrants served as well, including to the Rawlings residence. The warrant was served on December 14. Of interest, the warrant demands any records, reports, documents, and communications that took place between the above named individuals during the 17-day application period for the City Council election (July 28-August 13). The warrant also mentions that this investigation is for a possible felony that was committed. "This warrant seems to be related to allegations of election fraud that I have heard about," said Andrew Perry, President of AFSCME Local 1520, the staff union. "I don't know the...

Cerritos, California - Cerritos has been keeping this under the radar, but it is currently reviewing its charter. This is an excellent opportunity for residents to ask for something like adding district representation of City Councilmembers. Cerritos is a big city, with a population of just over 50,000 residents. However, in Cerritos the people who often win a Council seat   are the individuals who have the support of the big business ventures, like the malls or especially the automobile sales lobby. That won’t change in future elections, because money in politics is unfortunately a reality in American politics. But by having Councilmembers from specific districts, it at raises the accountability of an individual Councilmember.   A Councilmember representing a certain district will be answerable to the residents of his/her district, and if residents aren’t happy, it’s a lot easier to vote the person out. It will also be a lot easier for grass roots, aka ‘unbought’ candidates ...

President Jamie Rodriguez and the Lawndale City Employees of AFSCME Local 1895 voted 'No Confidence'  in City Manager Kevin Chun. Lawndale, California - Lawndale employees gave a strong ’No Confidence’ vote against City Manager Kevin Chun. The declaration of no confidence, along with reasons for the vote, was delivered in a letter to their City Council.  On Monday night (Nov 8) a special City Council meeting was called to review Chun’s performance. However, no reportable action was taken. City Council could not comment on the matter, either. “The Brown Act prohibits any of us from providing any additional information at this time, but when the matter is resolved it will be reported as such in open session,” said Lawndale Councilwomen Bernadette Suarez. Jamie Rodriguez, president of the Lawndale employee union, AFSCME Local 1895, explained some of the back story on the vote.  “Kevin is one of those city managers who didn’t take input from staff, and who made people f...