Court and Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) decisions, commentary on California public sector labor relations

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PERB: Unions Have Right to Use Employer Email System

Shutterstock 400255669Los Angeles Unified School District (2018) PERB Decision No. 2588-E (Issued on 10/17/18)

Earlier this year, in Napa Valley CCD (2018) PERB Decision No. 2563-E, PERB adopted the holding of the National Labor Relation Board in Purple Communications, Inc. (2014) 361 NLRB No. 126, which held that employees have the right to use employer e-mail systems for union activities on nonworking time. (Click here for my blog post.) In this case, the Board addressed whether the holding in Napa Valley CCD extends to employee organizations.

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PERB Clarifies Standard on Employee Speech; Affirms Adoption of Purple Communications

Shutterstock 254582680Chula Vista ESD (Yvellez) (2018) PERB Decision No. 2586-E (Issued on 9/28/18)

[Note: I’ve fallen behind in commenting on recent PERB cases. There have been quite a few significant PERB cases in the last few months.  This is one of the more important ones…]

In 2012, the President of the Chula Vista Educators (CVE) union resigned to become the school district’s Human Resources Director. Once this change was announced, the CVE’s Vice-President sent an email to the new President and other teachers stating, in part:

I am deeply dismayed by your letter describing your ascendency to President of CVE. It does not appear in any way to convey the offense the union should take at what I believe is a clear case of a breach of fiduciary duty by our past President …

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PERB Advisory Committee Meeting on October 11, 2018

The Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) has announced a meeting of its Advisory Committee for October 11, 2018 at 11 am.  The location will be at the PERB headquarters in Sacramento at 1031 18th Street, First Floor, Room 103, Sacramento, CA. According to the meeting agenda the Advisory Committee meeting is "an opportunity for the Board, its staff, its constituents and the public to openly discuss the topics outlined below relating to PERB’s mission in the administration of the eight collective bargaining statutes over which PERB has jurisdiction."  There is no formal “membership” for the Advisory Committee; all members of the public are welcome. The scheduled…

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Governor Vetoes AB 2305, 2886 and 3034

On Friday, September 28, the Governor vetoed AB 2305, 2886, and 3034.  These bills would have expanded PERB's jurisdiction by adding, respectively: peace officer unions; the Orange County Transportation Authority and the San Joaquin Regional Transit District; and the supervisory units of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District. Here is the Governor's veto message: These bills expand the Public Employment Relations Board's jurisdiction to cover labor disputes involving several local public agencies. Over the years, the Legislature has expanded the Board's jurisdiction, but the necessary funding for the increased workload has not kept pace. This has resulted in significant backlogs at the Board…

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PERB Bills Awaiting Action by Governor

Several bills affecting PERB are awaiting action by the Governor: SB 1085: Requires public employers to grant reasonable leaves of absence to employees to serve as stewards or officers of the union.  The union must reimburse the public employer for all compensation paid to the employee. AB 2305: Brings peace officer unions under PERB's jurisdiction. I previously wrote about the status of this bill here and here. AB 2886: Brings the Orange County Transportation Authority and the San Joaquin Regional Transit District under PERB's jurisdiction. AB 3034:  Brings the supervisory units of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District under PERB's…

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