Walker

— This is a representative suit by five county employees seeking declaratory relief and a writ of mandate to compel the board of supervisors first to ascertain and declare the prevailing salary or wage for the same quality of service rendered to private employers under similar employment; and then, in the light of such ascertainment, to adopt an ordinance providing for salary payments to all persons in the classified civil service equal at least to such prevailing wage scale. Specifically, petitioners attack a salary ordinance passed by the board on May 27, 1958, fixing salaries and wages for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 1958. They claim that the board, in adopting said ordinance, did not follow the required procedure under section 47 of the Los Angeles County Charter and by such failure, the board has evaded its mandatory duty. Section 47 provides: “In fixing compensation to be paid to persons under the classified civil service, the Board of Supervisors shall, in each instance, provide a salary or wage at least equal to the prevailing salary or wage for the same quality of service rendered to private persons, firms or corporations under similar employment in case such…