AFSCME Local 685

10/08/2026

The AFSCME Local 685 Executive Board, acting pursuant to its responsibilities under the Local and International Constitutions, has taken action pursuant to Article IX, Section 48, of the AFSCME International Constitution to immediately suspend President Curtis Chambers and Second Vice President/Chief Steward James Jackson from the performance of their official duties, pending investigation and further action by AFSCME International. Click below to read full article.

Dear Brothers and Sisters:The AFSCME Local 685 Executive Board, acting pursuant to its responsibilities under the Local and International Constitutions, has taken action pursuant to Article IX, Section 48, of the AFSCME International Constitution to immediately suspend President Curtis Chambers and....

09/30/2026

It is with great sadness that AFSCME Local 685 shares the passing of our retired union brother, Willie Frank Robinson Jr.

Willie was a longtime and active member of Local 685 who served as Transportation Vice President.

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1961, Willie came to California with his family during the Great Migration, first settling in Watts and later in Compton. An exceptional athlete, he attended Valley College, where he ran the 400 meters in an extraordinary 46.02 seconds, and later earned a full athletic scholarship to San Jose State University. After college, he pursued professional football with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Willie joined the LA County Probation Department in May 1989 as a Group Supervisor Nights and transferred to Transportation in 1999. His commitment to the young people in our care and to his fellow employees was exemplified during the 2018 Woolsey Fire, when he helped evacuate Campus Kilpatrick. For his actions, Willie received the Medal of Valor on November 9, 2018.

But a list of accomplishments only tells part of Willie’s story.

Known to friends as Smoke, Frankie, Will Rob, and Robert, Willie lived a big and active life. He rode his Harley, played golf, softball, billiards, darts, and poker, loved music, and was a die-hard Raiders fan. He once bench pressed 495 pounds and even appeared in a movie with Sammy Davis Jr. He proudly traveled to Washington, D.C., for the Million Man March.

Most importantly, Willie was a brother, father, grandfather, union brother, and loyal friend to many.

Those of us at Local 685 will remember Willie for his friendship, his service, his commitment to his fellow members, and the many years he devoted to the Probation Department and our union.

We extend our deepest condolences to Willie’s family, friends, former colleagues, and everyone in the Local 685 family who knew and loved him.

Rest in peace, Brother Robinson. You will be missed. 🙏🏿

09/28/2026

09/17/2026

Yesterday, the court granted a second motion to dismiss in a criminal case involving a DPO II accused of submitting fraudulent medical notes. Read full story here:

Dear Sisters & Brothers,Yesterday, the court granted a second motion to dismiss in a criminal case involving a DPO II accused of submitting fraudulent medical notes. This case was more complex than the first, and the favorable ruling followed sustained work by Local 685’s defense counsel Tom Yu.Th...

09/11/2026

Victim 0001: Father Mychal Judge
Member, AFSCME Local 299
May 11, 1933 – September 11, 2001

Father Mychal Judge, a proud member of AFSCME Local 299, served as the chaplain to the New York City Fire Department

On September 11, 2001, Father Judge, clad in a white firefighters’ helmet and black coat, remained in the lobby and mezzanine of the Trade Center’s North Tower, praying for firefighters who rushed past him and up the stairs of the wounded building and for office workers plunging to their deaths outside, their bodies exploding like blood-filled balloons on the concrete plaza.

When the nearby South Tower collapsed, Judge was killed by the tsunami of rubble that burst into the North Tower lobby.

Father Judge was designated as "Victim 0001" and thereby recognized as the first official victim of the attacks. Although others had been killed before him, including the crews, passengers, and hijackers of the first three planes, and occupants of the towers and the Pentagon, Judge was the first certified fatality because he was the first body to be recovered and taken to the medical examiner.

Rest in Peace, Brother Judge. 🙏

09/04/2026

Can rehabilitation happen without safe staffing?

Every day, Local 685 members help change lives. But real rehabilitation requires more than good intentions. It requires enough trained probation professionals to build relationships, provide accountability, and keep youth, staff, and our communities safe.

Read why safe staffing isn’t just a workplace issue; it’s the foundation of successful rehabilitation. ⬇️

Rehabilitation is central to juvenile justice. But a release date, weekend pass, or completed program is not a rehabilitation plan. Young people have the best chance to succeed when safe facilities, consistent supervision, trained officers, treatment, education, family guidance, community support, a...

09/01/2026

Local 685 delegates returned from the AFSCME International Convention with new connections, new perspectives, and one clear message: we are not alone.

The convention also marked an important leadership transition for AFSCME, with delegates electing new International leadership.

In this special edition, Local 685 leaders and rank & file members share their firsthand reflections on public safety, bargaining, union democracy, national advocacy, and what these lessons mean for Local 685 members here in L.A. County.

Read the full newsletter: “We Are Not Alone: Reflections from the AFSCME Convention.”

AFSCME Elects New International Union Leadership Delegates to AFSCME’s 47th International Convention elected Patrick Moran as International President and Nicole Pollard as International Secretary-Treasurer, marking a new chapter for the 1.4-million-member union. Moran succeeds Lee Saunders, who ...

08/19/2026

BREAKING NEWS: While you were on duty, your union was fighting an eleventh-hour threat in Sacramento. After an intense 24 hours and a united show of labor strength, Senator Menjivar pulled SB 357.

Here’s what happened behind the scenes, and how Local 685 helped stop it — again. Read the full story:

A 24-hour fight in Sacramento ends with Senator Menjivar pulling the bill by Barb Maynard, Consultant, AFSCME Local 685Dear Sisters and Brothers, While Local 685 members were on duty and catching some well-earned rest – and your union leadership was in Chicago representing you at the AFSCME Intern...