Local public employee organizations: dispute: factfinding panel.

Existing law requires the governing body of a local public agency, or those boards, commissions, administrative officers, or other representatives as may be properly designated by law or by a governing body, to meet and confer in good faith regarding wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment with representatives of recognized employee organizations. Existing law authorizes an employee organization to request that the parties' differences be submitted to a factfinding panel not sooner that 30 days or more than 45 days following the appointment or selection of a mediator pursuant to the parties' agreement to mediate or a mediation process required by a public agency's local rules. Existing law authorizes an employee organization, if the dispute was not submitted to mediation, to request that the parties' differences be submitted to a factfinding panel not later than 30 days following the date that either party provided the other with a written notice of a declaration of impasse. This bill would require that request to be in writing. The bill would provide that if either party disputes that a genuine impasse, as defined, has been reached, the issue of whether an impasse exists may be submitted to the Public Employment Relations Board for resolution before the dispute is submitted to a factfinding panel, as specified. The bill would also authorize each party to select a person to serve as its member of the factfinding panel.