'BLUE FLU' OUTBREAK GOES ON 249 OFFICERS CALL IN SICK ON ELECTION DAY, DESPITE COURT ORDERS NOT TO.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer The Sheriff's Department sickout sick·out n. An organized job action in which employees absent themselves from work on the pretext of illness. continued Tuesday as 249 deputies called in ill on election day, even though 80 percent of the 7,100 officers been served with temporary restraining orders temporary restraining order: see injunction. designed to halt the ``blue flu blue flu n. A sickout, especially by uniformed police officers. [From the blue color of most police officers' uniforms.] .'' Tuesday's action temporarily closed two county courthouses in Pomona and those in El Monte El Monte (ĕl mŏn`tē), city (1990 pop. 106,209), Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1912. A residential, industrial, and commercial city in the San Gabriel Valley, El Monte manufactures furniture, electronic equipment, semiconductors, and West Covina West Covina, city (1990 pop. 96,086), Los Angeles co., S Calif., in the San Gabriel valley; settled 1905, inc. 1923. Before World War II, West Covina was a small rural community where walnuts, wheat, and livestock were raised. . In addition, nine of 16 deputies at the Compton sheriff's station, 15 out of 18 at the City of Industry station and all 18 deputies at the East Los Angeles East Los Angeles, uninc. city (1990 pop. 126,379), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, in an industrial area. It has a large Mexican-American population. There is a performing arts center and a cultural center. A junior college is there. station called in sick in the morning, disrupting operations. Four gang-enforcement team members called in sick, as well. In the afternoon, 103 more deputies from eight sheriff's stations called in sick. ``We haven't had to shut any stations down,'' said Andrew Lamberto, assistant division chief for administrative services in the Sheriff's Department. ``We are redeploying deputies from other stations that have not been impacted.'' Last week, an Orange County judge barred the deputies' union leaders from encouraging or influencing members to call in sick. Sheriff's Department officials plan to review the cases in which deputies called in sick to determine whether they have doctor's notes and to take disciplinary action against those who violated the court order. The work actions follow more than two weeks of wildcat sickouts that culminated Oct. 1 when 404 deputies called in sick, shutting down six courthouses. The deputies have gone without a raise for 1 1/2 years and are seeking a total of 18 percent in raises and cost-of-living adjustments over the next three years. Troy Anderson, (213) 974-8985 troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com |
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