Opinion No. (2004)

BILL LOCKYER Attorney General DANIEL G. STONE Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE JOHN L. BURTON, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE STATE SENATE, has requested an opinion on the following question: Is the governing board of a jointly administered trust fund, whose members are appointed equally by a city and a labor union representing city employees and whose purpose is to address labor-management issues relating to the health, safety, and training of city employees, required to hold its meetings open to the public? CONCLUSION The governing board of a jointly administered trust fund, whose members are appointed equally by a city and a labor union representing city employees and whose purpose is to address labor-management issues relating to the health, safety, and training of city employees, is not required to hold its meetings open to the public. ANALYSIS We are informed that a city public works department ("Department") and a labor union representing Department employees ("Union") have established a joint safety institute ("JSI") pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. JSI's purpose is to promote worker safety and training. Under the agreement, the Department…