The Workplace has Changed Forever, and the Public Sector Lags
An op-ed in this week’s Capitol Weekly by Local 1000 Board Chair Bill Hall and VP for Bargaining Irene Green

Workplaces have forever been changed, and as much as we wish to return to pre-pandemic conditions, the world has changed and some things will never go back.

In a powerful Capitol Weekly op-ed, Board Chair Bill Hall and Irene Green, Vice President for Bargaining, talk about how the public sector—particularly the State of California—is lagging behind the public sector in creating a responsive workplace in a post-COVID world.

They explain how, in the face of many unfilled state positions, a vicious cycle is created. As vacancies pile up, remaining workers try to fill the gaps, creating more burnout, which leads to more vacancies.

Bill and Irene’s op-ed calls on government to adapt to the new workplace reality by investing in workers who serve the public. Wage gaps must be closed, and spiraling inflation addressed. Flexible hours and hybrid work schedules must be accommodated, and incentives to recruit and retain skilled workers must be put in place.

What’s more, these changes are already underway in the private sector. Government must act, boldly, and if it doesn’t, the effects will be evident.

Capitol Weekly covers California government and politics. To read the op-ed about how the workplace has changed forever, click here.