I hope you and your families are having an amazing summer so far. Here at CCSO, we’re very excited to be putting our members’ hard-earned dues to work to bring our organization to the next level. Our goal in the coming months is to enter the next phase of our transformation and growth, while continuing to build on the top-notch services we provide to our membership.

With the additional funding from the recent dues increase, we’re planning to bolster our legal services so that our members have access to the highest level of representation possible. We’re also pleased to report that we now have the resources to take on legal battles that we were unable to previously. In addition, we want to focus on supporting our chapter presidents with the tools and skills they need to become more effective representatives, as well as continuing to provide our membership as a whole with top-notch training and Conferences that will help us become a stronger, more competitive organization moving forward.

If we want to compete with other labor organizations, we have to make that leap to the next level, and to do that, we need to be financially equipped to invest in our growth, services and programs. In years past, our budget was way below average, and we were at risk of not being able to function. But now, we’re able to provide a good, solid financial foundation for the organization and make some critical decisions in order to sustain stability and allow us to be able to accomplish some of the things that we were unable to in previous years due to budgetary restrictions.

Our goal in the coming months is to enter the next phase of our transformation and growth, while continuing to build on the top-notch services we provide to our membership.

One major investment we’ve made was recently completed: the expansion of CCSO Headquarters. The expansion will allow us to accommodate more people and provide more office space for staff, as well as saving us money on meeting spaces for business, Board and chapter presidents meetings. It will also serve as a resource for our members as we begin the formation of working groups to tackle pressing issues at our institutions. I’m very proud of all the individuals who helped make this project a reality.

Moving forward, with the dues increase, we’re hoping to get back out into the field and reconnect with our chapter presidents, help contribute to some of the institutional needs and support our local communities. We’d also like to develop task forces and working groups to start addressing some of the major issues that are affecting our members, such as the health-care package, establishing CCSO as the sole representative for excluded employees within CDCR, and any institutional needs and concerns that chapter presidents may have. We will work tirelessly with you to address these issues and achieve positive outcomes.

These plans are just the beginning of all the enhancements and improvements we will be making to our organization in the future. Our expanded budget will allow us to build our reserves, and that, in turn, will enable us to grow and do even more for our members than ever before. Thank you as always for your trust in me and in our Board of Directors, chapter presidents and staff.