International Ass'n of Fire Fighters v. City of Palo Alto

Defendants have appealed from a judgment ordering issuance of a peremptory writ of mandate and dismissing their cross-complaint for declaratory relief. 1 By that judgment the trial court ordered defendants (a chartered *298 city, and its mayor, city manager, council members and fire chief) to grant plaintiffs (an unincorporated union—all of the members of which are employees of defendant city’s fire department—and its duly appointed representative) the right of self-organization and the right to “present grievances and recommendations regarding wages, salaries, hours and working conditions to the governing body of the Fire Department and to discuss the same with such governing body through such organizations.” Defendants were further ordered to vacate and set aside certain policies, rules and regulations that will hereafter be mentioned.

Insofar as the judgment is predicated upon the constitutionality of Labor Code sections 1960 through 1963, and their applicability to a chartered city, the issues herein are identical to those discussed in the companion case of Professional Fire Fighters, Inc. v. City of Los Angeles, L. A. 27007, decided this day, ante, page 276 [ 32 Cal.Rptr.…