Very empty DMV's....
I just wrote this story running in tomorrow's paper about staged sickouts at a handful of DMV offices in So Cal, in protest of state budget cuts.
I was at the West Covina DMV office this morning....
WEST COVINA -- Employees at Southern California Department of Motor Vehicles branches staged a sickout Friday in protest of the state budget impasse.
San Gabriel Valley offices in Whittier and West Covina were among those affected. Sickouts also occurred in Bellflower, Compton, Rancho Cucamonga, and Fullerton, DMV spokesman Mike Marando said.
The action was not sanctioned by the employees union, officials said.
Marando would not say how many employees did not show up to work.
"We're upset with the governor because of the budget crisis. Our budgets got cut," DMV employee Diane Murillo said. "We want to see what the governor thinks when the state is losing all these revenues for a day."
She referred to an executive order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed that would temporarily cut the wages of state workers to the federal minimum and lay off temporary workers in an effort to ease the $15.2 billion budget deficit.
"We sympathize with our stressed out DMV workers," said Jim Zamora, a spokesman for Service Employees International Union Local 1000. "Our workers are incredibly demoralized by having their wages cut..."
At the West Covina branch Friday morning, dozens of customers without appointments were denied service and told to either make an appointment online or come back Monday.
DMV employees and security guards at the office's front doors said there weren't "enough employees to help everyone."
"They just said the government cut the budget so the employees feel sad," Covina resident Prawat Chansila said. "So everybody called out sick today. Nobody came to work."
Randy Dudley, who had an appointment to take a photo for his state identification card, said he saw about a dozen employees inside the office.
Dudley's caretaker, Sonia Calderon, said when she and Dudley arrived at 8 a.m., California Highway Patrol officers were telling people the office was closed for the day.
Visibly frustrated customers began arguing with DMV employees, she said.
"It was really bad," Calderon said. "I told one of the ladies, 'We have to calm down. They are just doing their job. There's nothing they can do.'"
DMV employees rerouted customers to branches in Pomona and Pasadena, but warned of as long as a two-hour waits.
Rolly Luna said he had been to the Pomona office earlier that morning, but the lines were too long.
Other customers said they didn't have time to go to other locations.
"You know they are listing off other offices, but they're saying they are very overbooked," said Debbie Zahariades, who lost her driver's license Thursday and needed a replacement.
"I have to be at work later so I have no time to wait in another line somewhere else," she said.
Marando said all but the Hawthorne and Bellflower offices were open Friday after officials redeployed employees to affected branches. Unruly customers prompted officials to keep the Hawthorne branch closed "in the interest of public safety," Marando said.
The Bellflower location was closed due to staffing shortages.
There are 169 DMV field offices in California.
"We've experienced some serious challenges to be sure as a result of the delayed budget," Marando said. "Until the budget is in place, the department will continue to modify service to comply with governor's executive order and meet the needs of the public."
If they want support from the public, they picked the wrong way to get it. Wonder what would happen if they had to bring in a doctor's note for taking a day's sick leave.
I bet the wait was still bad
I so sick of these goverment employees and their damn union raping us at the taxpayer drought. I'm also sick of the same damn politicians that line their pockets with the unions money.
Privatize and let them actully have to work for a change.
Thay couldn't handle a real job thats why their in the union.
Does the Automobile Club pay a lot better than the state? Their employees are so much more efficient than the DMV, and they are friendly.
The DMV has dedicated hard working employees. Where do you get off saying that they don't have real jobs. They are entitled to belong to a union, that is democracy and the American way in case some of you idiots forgot. These employees have earned their keep. They should not have their wages reduced. I don't think that those of you who are on these blogs would want this to happen to you or someone you know and care about. So don't blog on something that makes you look like an ill-informed, un-educated, narrow minded jerks. How insensative can you all be. It will become a hardship on those that have budgetted their money on expenses that they allowed for. They did not expect to have their wages reduced at all. What a terrible nightmare this must be, especially in these hard and difficult economic times. We need to show them that we care and that they matter. They are "victims" in this whole darm mess. I support their fight and respect their positions.
To DMV Customer and Friend:
Were you waiting in line, in the heat to get some business taken care of? Those people that were waiting had appointments. Did the dedicated DMV employees care about them?
The employees haven't seen any pay cuts. California has a Controller who thinks that since he writes and signs the checks, he should also determine how much they are for and where they should go. Maybe he's part of the problem.
The state of the econmy is the problem. It is a domino effect that has taken place. We are all victims of this dame mess. Who is to blame? Look around you. We are in the worst economic disaster ever. We could very easily be that DMV worker. The young couple who is losing their first home. Mom who has to pawm her wedding ring to put food on the table and pay bills. Dad who must sell what ever he can to meet all the families needs. Who will be next????
These are economic trying times for all concern, what we are experiencing is due to many factors of which are signs of the times for the lack of future planning, over spending, and lack of accountability on our elected officials and their aids. There is much more to it than the aforementioned but one thing is for sure, many are and will be paying the price. I believe most of this lack of foresight should be placed on our elected officials who were elected to lead and provide economic stability, they failed. In the corporate world, this would be grounds for dismissal! Also, there are no victims here just circumstances. It has been my experience that most who complain or are affected did not vote for those who got us here and it will continue to be this way until we get serious about who leads and represents us into the future. Even if an elected official(s) are not re-elected, they still have no accountability for their part while in office. The way I look at it, people are responding to what is, let’s stop feuding, pointing fingers, blaming each other and focus, with a proactive mentality, and show our “public servants” we demand more than feel good stuff. If they were held accountable for their positions most would be in jail! About Unions, let’s just say that they had their day and purpose. My comments are not about pointing fingers and assuming no responsibility but the opposite. We should be responsible for our livelihood by properly educating ourselves and holding our elected officials accountable for their actions. We don’t need handouts or feel good legislation by these people; we need results.
I was at DMV office in Pasadena a worst place the officer at the front door was rude and loud. The employees were busy talking about their personal life not helpful answering the question. It is a disaster. No proper direction or instruction and the employees were rude. I asked to see a supervisor and the employee informed me that I have to take a appointment. I think DMV needs to dismiss entire staff and hire fun friendly employees. Half of the employee stands around talking doing absolutely nothing.I think it is overstaffed they need to addapt bestpractise. California Governor is useless like a DMV staff. He needs to resign and work on his speech.