Decision 2089S – California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (Morgan)
SA-CO-439-S
Decision Date: December 31, 2009
Decision Type: PERB Decision
Description: The complaint alleged that the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) interfered with employee rights guaranteed by the Ralph C. Dills Act by refusing to honor the request of a member to withdraw from union membership after the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement containing a “maintenance of membership” clause.
Disposition: The Board held that CSLEA violated the Dills Act by refusing to honor a valid request by a State employee to withdraw from union membership, and ordered CSLEA to make the member whole.
Perc Vol: 34
Perc Index: 34
Decision Headnotes
801.02000 – Employee Right to Refrain from Union Activities
Notwithstanding a “maintenance of membership” clause permitting employees to withdraw from union membership only during the last 30 days before expiration of the contract, union member was entitled to withdraw from membership after expiration of the contract but before the parties entered into a successor agreement. By requiring the parties to continue to abide by the terms of the expired agreement until a new agreement or impasse is reached, Dills Act Section 3517.8 effectively imposes the existing contractual terms on the parties on a day-to-day basis. Accordingly, by refusing to honor member’s requests to withdraw from membership after expiration of a collective bargaining agreement, the union violated her rights under Dills Act sections 3513(i), 3515 and 3519.5(b). Additionally, while motive is an element of discrimination or retaliation, motive or intent is not an issue in interference cases, and the charging party “need only make a prima facie showing that the respondent's conduct tends to or does result in harm to employee rights.”
606.01000 – In General
Argument that case was not ripe for review because employee did not request to withdraw from union membership until four months after expiration of contract is rejected. Continued union membership can only be required until 30 days prior to the expiration of the contract, and union was not free to refuse to honor requests to withdraw made after the expiration but prior to the effective date of a successor agreement.
806.02000 – Internal Union Procedures
Notwithstanding a “maintenance of membership” clause permitting employees to withdraw from union membership only during the last 30 days before expiration of the contract, union member was entitled to withdraw from membership after expiration of the contract but before the parties entered into a successor agreement. By requiring the parties to continue to abide by the terms of the expired agreement until a new agreement or impasse is reached, Dills Act section 3517.8 effectively imposes the existing contractual terms on the parties on a day-to-day basis. Accordingly, by refusing to honor member’s requests to withdraw from membership after expiration of a collective bargaining agreement, the union violated her rights under Dills Act sections 3513(i), 3515 and 3519.5(b).
1105.07000 – Administrative and Judicial Notice
PERB has the authority to consider legislative history materials sua sponte.