Californians Aware v. Joint Labor/Management Benefits Committee

*974 Opinion

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs, petitioners, and appellants Californians Aware and Richard P. McKee (McKee) filed a verified petition for writ of mandate, an injunction, and declaratory relief against defendants, respondents, and respondents in this appeal, the Los Angeles Community College District (District) and the Joint Labor/Management Benefits Committee (JLMBC), alleging that the JLMBC failed to comply with the public notice and open meeting requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act). (Gov. Code, § 54950 et seq.) 1 The trial court in denying the petition found that the JLMBC was not subject to the Brown Act because the JLMBC was formed to further the District’s collective bargaining with the unions representing the District’s employees and thus was exempt from the Brown Act under section 3549.1, subdivision (a), which is part of the Educational Employment Relations Act (EERA) (§ 3540 et seq.). 2 Petitioners appeal. We affirm.

BACKGROUND

In or about 2002, the District entered into a “Master Benefits Agreement” (Agreement) with unions representing its employees 4 concerning hospital-medical, dental, vision group coverage, group life insurance coverage, and…