Frequently Asked Questions

We're a new AFSCME local for West Hollywood Aquatics temporary employees: Temporary Lifeguard I, Temporary Lifeguard II, and Aquatics Aide. We're part of AFSCME District Council 36, which represents nearly 30,000 workers across Southern California.

Local 3339 represents the City's full-time employees. Their priorities are different from ours; we want a union focused on temp-specific issues: job security, a path to permanent part-time status, fair scheduling, and ending at-will employment. Our supervisors are also members of 3339, so we shouldn't be in the same union as our own bosses.

All temporary Aquatics employees: Temporary Lifeguard I, Temporary Lifeguard II, and Aquatics Aide.

No. California's Meyers-Milias-Brown Act protects public employees' right to organize. It's illegal for management to fire, discipline, or retaliate against you for union activity. If it happens, the union can file an unfair labor practice charge with PERB and fight to get your job back with back pay.

AFSCME District Council 36's minimum is $42.70/month for full-time-equivalent work (21-40 hrs/week); for part-timers dues typically run around 1-1.5% of gross pay. Dues fund professional staff reps who handle grievances, legal representation, steward training, and bargaining support. Members vote democratically on how dues are spent.

Important: no one pays dues until we have a ratified contract. You pay nothing while we're organizing or bargaining.

Union members earn on average 10-20% more than non-union workers in similar jobs, plus job security, a real grievance procedure, negotiated raises instead of raises at a manager's discretion, and a voice in working conditions.

Yes, but only for a real, documented reason: just cause. The employer has to give notice of the problem, follow progressive discipline (warning, write-up, suspension, termination), have proof, and treat you the same as others. If they don't follow the rules, we file a grievance.

You'd be protected under our contract. Just cause applies to all unit members, regardless of hours. That's the whole point.

1. Just cause termination, no more at-will
2. Step increases, automatic raises based on time/hours worked
3. A path to permanent part-time status (not full-time)
4. Paid training, certification recertification on the clock
5. Fair scheduling, advance notice, consistent hours
6. A real grievance procedure

It's a category the City of Los Angeles uses: permanent part-time. You're not "temporary" anymore; you have job security, pension eligibility, and step raises, even though you're still part-time. That's the model we want West Hollywood to adopt.

The cap appears designed to keep us temporary and to block access to part-time non-temp positions that could offer benefits. With a union, we can negotiate pathways to permanent part-time positions, fight for benefits even as temps, and establish minimum hour guarantees and fair scheduling.

Aquatics Aides are asked to teach swim lessons at aide pay rates, while Temporary Lifeguards teaching the identical lessons are paid at lifeguard rates. Same work should mean same pay: this is one of our top bargaining priorities.

We began organizing in October 2025. On February 20, 2026, we filed with PERB (Case No. LA-RR-1380-M) with majority support and formally asked the City to voluntarily recognize us. On May 27, 2026, the City Manager denied that request.

The City's position is that our bargaining unit isn't "appropriate" on its own, and that we should instead be folded into the existing full-time employee union. We disagree: see our Issues page for why we think that argument doesn't hold up.

We're contesting the denial and asking the City Council to act. They can direct the City Manager to extend recognition, put it to a public vote, or revisit the 40-year-old rule the denial relies on. In the meantime, we're building public support: signing members, gathering support from the community, and speaking at Council meetings.

Your union card is confidential; management cannot see who signed. Once a campaign goes public, it's harder to stay fully anonymous if you're actively involved, but many members contribute in private ways and stay behind the scenes.