Relyea

The issue presented here is whether local government employees can compel their employers to negotiate terms and conditions of employment with them as individuals. We hold that they cannot, based on the absence of any express legislation granting local public employees such right and on the limited scope of a public employee’s right to self-representation.

Appellant Ron Relyea was formerly employed as a fire engineer by respondent Ventura County Fire Protection District (District). Intervener Ventura County Professional Firefighters Association (Association) is the exclusive recognized employee organization representing employees in appellant’s former job classification.

The Association and the District negotiated a memorandum of agreement applicable from 1987 to 1989, and again negotiated such agreement for the period 1989 to 1992.

In January 1988, prior to negotiations for the current agreement, appellant notified Ron Komers, director of respondent County’s personnel department, of his election to represent himself in all of his future relations with respondent, claiming he had not been a member of the Association for some time and felt at a disadvantage in having no…