Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District: employee relations.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify that PERB is enabled to enforce its final decisions through courts if necessary, only that it can seek enforcement of any final decision or order in a district court of appeal or superior court after the time for petitioning has expired.

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District Employee Relations

This bill gives PERB authority over unfair practices and emergency regulations for Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District employees, requires the district to notify employee representatives of changes affecting their work conditions, and allows aggrieved parties to seek court relief from PERB decisions.

What This Bill Does

• Gives PERB jurisdiction to enforce rules about unfair practices for represented district employees.
• Requires PERB’s regulations to apply to the transit district, allowing PERB to make emergency regulations if needed.
• Requires the transit district to notify employee representatives before making changes that affect their work conditions.
• Allows people involved in disputes with PERB decisions to ask a court for special relief.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
• Employees of the transit district and their representatives
• Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)

Terms To Know

Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)

A state agency that helps resolve disputes between public employers and employees.

Unfair practices

Actions by an employer or employee that violate labor laws, such as discrimination or refusing to bargain in good faith.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much it will cost the state or local agencies.
• It is unclear what specific changes the transit district must notify representatives about.
• The exact nature of emergency regulations PERB can make for the transit district remains unspecified.

Official Summary Text

SB 1166, as introduced, Arreguín.
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District: employee relations.
Existing law, the Transit District Law, establishes the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District with various powers and duties relative to transportation projects and services and the operation of public transit in the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa.
Existing law establishes the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) in state government as a means of resolving disputes and enforcing the statutory duties and rights of specified public employers and employees under various acts regulating collective bargaining, including the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act. Existing law includes within PERB’s jurisdiction the resolution of disputes alleging violation of rules and regulations adopted by a public agency, as defined, concerning unit determinations, representations, recognition, and elections, as specified. Existing law authorizes PERB to adopt rules and
regulations to carry out its purposes, as provided.
This bill would vest PERB with jurisdiction to enforce certain provisions related to the district’s employees over charges of unfair practices for represented district employees, subject to a selection by an exclusive representative. The bill, in the case of such a selection, would give PERB jurisdiction over the initial determination as to whether those charges are justified and, if so, the appropriate remedy, subject to certain restrictions. The bill would require that PERB’s regulations apply, as appropriate, to the district, and authorize PERB to make additional emergency regulations applicable to the district. The bill would require the district to give reasonable written notice to an exclusive representative of its employees of its intent to make any change to matters within the scope of representation of the employees represented by the exclusive representative, as specified. This bill would authorize any
charging party, respondent, or intervenor aggrieved by a final decision or order of PERB in an unfair practice case, except a decision of PERB not to issue a complaint in such a case, to petition for a writ of extraordinary relief from that decision or order, as specified. The bill, if the time to petition for extraordinary relief from a PERB decision or order has expired, would authorize PERB to seek enforcement of any final decision or order in a district court of appeal or superior court having jurisdiction over the county where the events giving rise to the decision or order occurred, as specified. By imposing new duties on the district, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the district.
The California
Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF