California Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Public Employees’ Right to Grievance Arbitration

This morning, Gregg Adam, CBM San Francisco office Labor Partner, argued before the California Supreme Court on behalf of the Engineers and Architects Association of Los Angeles in a case that threatened to abolish the arbitration rights of local public employees in California. CBM persuaded the Supreme Court to review a Court of Appeal decision holding such arbitration was impermissible as an unlawful delegation of municipal authority over budgets and salaries. 

The case is of major significance, as the Court of Appeal ruling arguably allowed local cities and governments to violate their collective bargaining obligations without arbitral or judicial review whenever they declared a fiscal emergency. 

The Supreme Court vigorously questioned counsel for both sides. We expect an opinion on this significant issue within ninety days.