County of Sacramento v. AFSCME LOCAL 146
Opinion
Opinion
Tami R. Bogert, Wendi L. Ross, Tammy Samsel and Harry J. Gibbons for Intervener and Appellant.
Robert A. Ryan, Jr., County Counsel, and Krista C. Whitman, Deputy County Counsel, for Plaintiff and Respondent.
Jennifer B. Henning for the California State Association of Counties and League of California Cities as Amici Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Respondent.
HULL, J.
The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) (Gov. Code, § 3500 et seq.) governs labor relations between local government employers and employees. (Further undesignated section references are to the Government Code.) In 2001, the Legislature delegated jurisdiction over claims arising under the MMBA to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). (Stats. 2000, ch. 901, § 8.) In this matter, we consider the extent of that jurisdiction.
In 2006, in the midst of collective bargaining efforts, several unions representing employees of the County of Sacramento (County) threatened a strike. The County initiated this action in the superior court to enjoin the unions from ordering or encouraging certain employees to participate in the strike. The County alleged the work of those employees was critical to providing necessary…