Public Employees Assn. v. Board of Supervisors

This is an appeal from an order denying the petition of appellant, Public Employees Association of Tulare County (PEMA) for a writ of mandate seeking monetary payments from respondent County of Tulare (County). Appellant alleges violations of certain provisions of the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (Gov. Code, § 3500 et seq.), requiring public entity employers to “meet and confer in good faith” with their employees regarding hours, wages and working conditions and prohibiting interference with appellant’s right to invoke impasse.

Facts

Appellant PEMA is a labor organization which represents certain bargaining units of employees of respondent County. The bargaining members are composed of both members of PEMA and nonmember employees represented by PEMA.

Representatives of PEMA and County held numerous meet and confer sessions beginning in March 1982 to discuss the terms and conditions of employment for employees represented by PEMA during 1982. Throughout the meet and confer sessions, Bruce Dandy served as the chief negotiator for PEMA, and Jim Brinkerhoff served as chief spokesman for the County. In September 1982 the parties agreed to a salary increase in the form of a lump…