Labor Relations: The Meet and Confer Process

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

9-19 S

S ECTION 1 Legal Framework for Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector .................................................................................6 A. Introduction .....................................................................................................................................................6 B. The Legal Framework for Public Agency Managers and Negotiators ............................................................6 1. MMBA.....................................................................................................................................................7 2. Legal Obligation to Meet and Confer.......................................................................................................7 3. Representational Systems.......................................................................................................................11 C. Local Rules....................................................................................................................................................17 1. Employer–Employee Relations Resolution............................................................................................17 2. Access to Agency Facilities and Use of Agency Communication Systems to Communicate with Employees ..............................................................................................................................................18 3. Impasse Procedures ................................................................................................................................20 S ECTION 2 Subjects of Bargaining.................................................................................................................................................22 A. The Contract and Past Practice......................................................................................................................22 1. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) ........................................................................................22 2. Past Practice ...........................................................................................................................................23 B. Scope of Representation ................................................................................................................................25 1. Scope of Bargaining ...............................................................................................................................25 2. Impacts and Effects Bargaining .............................................................................................................27 3. Subjects of Bargaining and Related Legal Considerations.....................................................................29 S ECTION 3 The Negotiation Process ..............................................................................................................................................47 A. Preparation for Negotiations .........................................................................................................................47 1. Organizing for Negotiations...................................................................................................................47 2. Selecting the Negotiating Team .............................................................................................................49 B. Negotiation Process.......................................................................................................................................50 1. Ground Rules .........................................................................................................................................50 2. Negotiating Notes...................................................................................................................................50 3. Communication with Employees in the Bargaining Unit.......................................................................50 4. Information Requests ................................................................................................................................51 5. Types of Bargaining ...............................................................................................................................52 6. Rules of Brainstorming ..........................................................................................................................63 C. Agreement and Impasse ................................................................................................................................65 1. Drafting the Agreement..........................................................................................................................65 2. Presenting the Agreement ......................................................................................................................67 3. Utilizing Impasse Procedures.................................................................................................................67 4. Unilateral Implementation......................................................................................................................72 5. Concerted Activity .................................................................................................................................74 6. Jurisdiction .............................................................................................................................................77

E NDNOTES ...................................................................................................................................................................80

Labor Relations: The Meet and Confer Process ©2019 (s) Liebert Cassidy Whitmore iv