Meet Central Area Coordinator Jerald White
By Kelly Hartog
Jerald White has been a proud 3090 member since 2019, a year after he joined Parks & Recreation. He switched to LAPD’s metropolitan division in 2022, where he now works as an admin clerk.
After almost 19 years working blue-collar jobs (including at various hospitals and with Southwest Airlines), White said he felt it was time to switch “to more of a desk job because we all get older at some point. I went through the target-to-hire program, and bureau homicide gave me a call first to start my journey there.”
White’s commitment to union participation and support for his colleagues has remained steadfast, irrespective of his job classification. With 10 years under his belt as a shop steward, last year the time felt right for him to run for Central Area Coordinator.
“There is strength in numbers,” he says. “I’ve been pro-union in most of my jobs and to be part of the cause, you have to take part.”
White represents all the members in the central area, and “I took that position because I like to be a voice and a catalyst for those who don’t have the strength to speak up for themselves. That’s what we’re here for, to be that voice.”
White is confident in his abilities, thanks to his shop steward experience. “I bring the knowledge when it comes to aiding people in writing grievances, assisting them in investigations, and disciplinary hearings,” he explains. “I know what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and how to advocate for workplace issues that arise.”
Experience, he notes, is key and boils down to “knowing how to fight and when to fight and keeping your emotions in check when dealing with management. I always tell young stewards to keep that in mind. Sometimes we lose a fight [because of] our emotions.”
White’s commitment to organized labor stems from a simple philosophy: “We need brothers and sisters in arms to be a strong unit.” If union members are disorganized, “it’s easy for management and corporations to divide us,” he says. “That’s why we have to work as a team.”
He admits that sometimes that work takes a lot of time and can be thankless and can often go unnoticed, particularly in building relationships with senators, the city council, and even the public. Thankfully, White is up to the task, and shares that much of his commitment stems from his upbringing and his family’s involvement in labor unions. “My grandfather, father and uncle were all involved,” he shares.
“I love doing the work that I do,” he adds. “I tell my members the City is open 24/7. There’s never a bad time to call me about an issue or talk to me about what’s going on so I can help you get some understanding. I want my members as strong or even stronger than me. That’s why I’m an advocate for making sure we’re all equal.”
