Chapter 4. Labor Provisions of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 10. >> Part 7. >> Chapter 4.

Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. It is declared to be in the public interest that the district shall not express any preference for one union over another. Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, whenever a majority of the employees employed by the district in a unit appropriate for collective bargaining indicate a desire to be represented by a labor organization, the district, upon determining as provided in Section 70122 that the labor organization represents the employees in the appropriate unit, shall enter into a written contract with the accredited representative of the employees governing wages, salaries, hours and working conditions. In case of a dispute over wages, salaries, hours or working conditions, which is not resolved by negotiations in good faith between the district and the labor organization, upon the request of either, the district and the labor organization may submit the dispute to the decision of the majority of an arbitration board, and the decision of the majority of the arbitration board shall be final. The arbitration board shall be composed of two representatives of the district, and two representatives of the labor organization, and they shall endeavor to agree upon the selection of the fifth member. If they are unable to agree, the names of five persons experienced in labor arbitration shall be obtained from the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service. The labor organization and the district shall, alternately, strike a name from the list so supplied, and the name remaining after the labor organization and the district have stricken four names, shall be designated as the arbitrator. The labor organization and the district shall determine by lot who shall first strike from the list. The decision of a majority of the arbitration board shall be final and binding upon the parties. The expenses of arbitration shall be borne equally by the parties. Each party shall bear his or her own costs. In the event the board and the representatives of the employees do not agree to submit the dispute to an arbitration board as herein provided, the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service may be notified by either party that a dispute exists and that there is no agreement to arbitrate. The service shall determine whether or not the dispute may be resolved by the parties and, if not, the issues concerning which the dispute exists. Upon the determination, the service shall certify its findings to the Governor who shall, within 10 days of receipt of certification appoint a fact finding commission consisting of three persons which shall immediately convene and inquire into and investigate the issues involved in the dispute. The commission shall report to the Governor within 30 days of the date of its creation. After the creation of the commission and for 30 days after the commission has made its report to the Governor, no change, except by mutual agreement, shall be made by the parties to the controversy in the conditions out of which the dispute arose and service to the public shall be provided.

(a) A contract or agreement shall not be made, or assumed, with any labor organization, association, group, or individual that denies membership to, or in any manner discriminates against, any employee on any basis listed in subdivision (a) of Section 12940 of the Government Code, as those bases are defined in Sections 12926 and 12926.1 of the Government Code. However, the organization may preclude from membership any individual who advocates the overthrow of the government by force or violence.
  (b) The district shall not discriminate with regard to employment against any person on any basis listed in subdivision (a) of Section 12940 of the Government Code, as those bases are defined in Sections 12926 and 12926.1 of the Government Code, except as otherwise provided in Section 12940 of the Government Code.

If there is a question whether a labor organization represents a majority of employees or whether the proposed unit is or is not appropriate, such matters shall be submitted to the State Conciliation Service for disposition. The State Conciliation Service shall promptly hold a public hearing after due notice to all interested parties and shall thereupon determine the unit appropriate for the purposes of collective bargaining. In making such determination and in establishing rules and regulations governing petitions, the conduct of hearings and elections, the State Conciliation Service shall be guided by relevant federal law and administrative practice, developed under the Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947, as presently amended. The State Conciliation Service shall provide for an election to determine the question of representation and shall certify the results to the parties. Any certification of a labor organization to represent or act for the employees in any collective bargaining unit shall not be subject to challenge on the grounds that a new substantial question of representation within such collective bargaining unit exists until the lapse of one year from the date of certification or the expiration of any collective bargaining agreement, whichever is later; provided, that no collective bargaining agreement shall be construed to be a bar to representation proceedings for a period of more than two years.

Whenever the district acquires existing facilities from a publicly or privately owned public utility, either in proceedings by eminent domain or otherwise, the district shall assume and observe all existing labor contracts. To the extent necessary for operation of facilities, all of the employees of such acquired public utility whose duties pertain to the facilities acquired shall be appointed to comparable positions in the district without examination, subject to all the rights and benefits of this part, and these employees shall be given sick leave, seniority, vacation and pension credits in accordance with the records and labor agreements of the acquired public utility. Members and beneficiaries of any pension or retirement system or other benefits established by that public utility shall continue to have the rights, privileges, benefits, obligations and status with respect to such established system. No employee of any acquired public utility shall suffer any worsening of his wages, seniority, pension, vacation or other benefits by reason of the acquisition. The district may extend the benefits of this section to officers or supervisory employees of the acquired utility.

The district shall not acquire any existing system or part thereof whether by purchase, lease, condemnation, or otherwise, nor shall the district dispose of or lease any transit system or part thereof, nor merge, consolidate or coordinate any transit system or part thereof, or reduce or limit the lines or service of any existing system or of its system, or terminate any lease arrangement or management contract, unless it shall first have made adequate provision for any employees who are or may be displaced. The terms and conditions of such provision shall be a proper subject of collective bargaining.

Notwithstanding any provision of the Government Code, employees of this district may authorize and, upon that authorization, the district may make deductions from their wages and salaries as follows:
  (a) Pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement with a duly designated or certified labor organization for the payment of union dues, fees, or assessments.
  (b) For the payment of contributions pursuant to any health and welfare plan or pension or retirement plan.
  (c) For any purpose for which deductions may be authorized by employees of any private employer.

The obligation of the district to bargain in good faith with a duly designated or certified labor organization and to execute a written collective bargaining agreement with such labor organization covering the wages, hours and working conditions of the employees represented by such labor organization in an appropriate unit, and to comply with the terms thereof shall not be limited or restricted by the provisions of the Government Code or other laws or statutes and the obligation of the district to bargain collectively shall extend to all subjects of collective bargaining which are or may be proper subjects of collective bargaining with a private employer, including retroactive provisions. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Government Code or other laws or statutes, the district shall make deductions from wages and salaries of its employees upon receipt of authorization therefor for the payment of union dues, fees or assessments, for the payment of contributions pursuant to any health and welfare plan or pension plan or for any other purpose for which deductions may be authorized by employees of any private employer, where such deductions are pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement with a duly designated or certified labor organization.

The district may provide for a retirement system; provided, that the adoption, terms and conditions of any retirement system covering employees of the district represented by a labor organization in accordance with this section shall be pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement between such labor organization and the district.

The district shall take such steps as may be necessary to obtain coverage for the district and its employees under Title II of the Federal Social Security Act, as amended, and the related provisions of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, as amended.

The district shall take such steps as may be necessary to obtain coverage for the district and its employees under the workers' compensation, unemployment compensation disability and unemployment insurance laws of the State of California.