HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 4325 RESOLUTION NO. 4325
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY
OPPOSING COMPULSORY AND BINDING ARBITRATION AS EMBODIED
IN SENATE BILL 778 (DILLS)
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS
FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS, employee salaries and benefits, particularly those of
police and fire personnel, represent the largest portion of local government
operating budgets; and
WHEREAS, local government's ability to generate revenue to meet
these costs has diminished significantly in recent years, thereby putting
increasing pressure on elected officials to manage limited resources in the
greatest public interest; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 778 has been introduced in the Legislature,
which, if enacted would mandate a system of compulsory and binding arbitration
of economic disputes between public safety labor organizations and local
government employers; and
WHEREAS, compulsory and binding arbitration removes the responsi-
bility for setting salary and benefit levels for public safety employees from
local elected officials and places such responsibility in the hands of an
arbitrator without public accountability; and
WHEREAS, the removal of such responsibility undermines a primary
duty and obligation of local elected officials, to wit, the allocation of
limited resources among competing public needs; and
WHEREAS, compulsory and binding arbitration for public safety
employees effectively removes police and fire compensation from the arena of
competing public needs, and elevates it to a position of first priority; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 778, by requiring an arbitrator to select
either an employer's or a union's last, best, and final offer in its entirety
effectively removes any incentive for either party to reach a mutually satis-
factory negotiated contract, in contradiction to the express intent and purpose
of the Meyers Milias -Brown Act; and
WHEREAS, the prohibition of strikes by public safety employees
contained in Senate Bill 778, adds little to the remedies available to local
agency employers under California case law; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 778 provides for its own self - destruction if
found by a court of law that its costs are mandated by the State of California;
and
WHEREAS, such provisions for self - destruction result in a recog-
nition that the increased settlement costs of awards by arbitrators pursuant
to Senate Bill 778 are in fact State-mandated costs which, however, must be
first confirmed by a court of law through time - consuming and expensive litigation.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Downey does hereby
express to the members of the State Legislature and the Governor of the State
of California its opposition to compulsory and binding arbitration in general,
and to Senate Bill 778 in particular, and urges the Legislature and the Governor
to maintain responsibility and accountability for local services and local
budgets with locally elected officials.
ORDINANCE NO. 4325
Page Two
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 8th day of November , 1983.
/
J
Abe G Cck, Lor
A1'i± ST :
City Clerk
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City
Council of the City of Downey at a regular meeting thereof, held on the
8th day of November , 1983, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: 3 Council Members: Jackman, Barb, Cormack
NOES: 1 Council Members: Davila
ABSENT: 1 Council Members: Quinn
40 4 1# /
City Clerk