Strikes
NO RECENT STRIKE BOARD DECISIONS.
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Local Procedures
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Other Matters
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Decisions of the Office of Public Employment Practices and Representation
Representation
SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND LOCAL 445, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS. The Director dismissed a petition for decertification because it was untimely and dismissed a petition for unit clarification and placement because it cannot be used to remove a title from a bargaining unit. (Director Klein, C-5810 & CP-1163, 3/2/09)
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMANDING OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AND METROPOLITAN TRANPORTATION AUTHORITY. An ALJ found that the unit petitioned for by the Association constituted an appropriate unit for the purposes for collective bargaining. The ALJ found that a community of interest existed between commanding officers of different titles at the MTA, and that the assistant deputy chiefs and inspectors were not managers within the meaning of the Act. Additionally, the ALJ found that there was no conflict of interest between those employees and the captain titles which were also subject to the petition so as to preclude all titles from being in the same unit. (ALJ Maier, C-5825, 3/5/09)
SACHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, UNITED PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES UNION AND SACHEM COMMUNICATION AIDES. A petition to create a separate ninth bargaining unit for the new position of School Communications Aide (SCA) is dismissed where there is no compelling showing of need for a separate unit and where PERB policy and precedent mandate against the unnecessary proliferation of bargaining units. As an alternative position, the petitioner sought placement of the SCAs in a clerical unit, to the objection of the District which advocated an aides unit as being the most appropriate. Although there were dissimilarities in the wages and benefits for SCAs and members of the clerical unit, the similarities in job function, work location and qualifications warranted placement in the clerical unit. Unlike the other aides within the District, the SCAs have little interaction with students, only occasionally venture into the classroom, and have no actual role in the instructional or student management functions. The responsibilities of the SCAs are related to maintaining and providing support for the District's computer technology. (ALJ Cacavas, C-5760, 3/26/09)
NEW YORK STATE PAROLE OFFICERS BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION and STATE OF NEW YORK (DIVISION OF PAROLE) and NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FEDERATION, AFL-CIO. The ALJ dismissed a petition filed by the Parole Officers Benevolent Association seeking to represent a unit of approximately 1,200 employees in the parole officer series currently in the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (PS&T) unit of State employees represented by PEF. The ALJ found that, in the absence of compelling evidence of a conflict of interest or inadequate representation, the titles in the parole officer series may not be removed, after nearly 40 years, from the PS&T unit. (ALJ Burritt, C-5441, 3/26/09)
UNITED FEDERATION OF POLICE OFFICERS, INC. AND TOWN OF ISLIP AND LOCAL 237 INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS. The ALJ dismissed the Federation's petitions which sought to fragment for purposes of representation the positions of airport security guard, senior airport security guard, supervisor airport security guard, park ranger I and park ranger II from a long-standing blue-collar unit based upon their peace officer and law enforcement duties. The ALJ found that the law enforcement duties of the positions sought to be fragmented did not rise to the level required by County of Erie and Sheriff of Erie County, 29 PERB 3031, at 3069 (1996), confirmed sub nom. County of Erie v New York State Pub Empl Rel Bd, 247 AD2d 671, 31 PERB 7004 (3d Dep't 1998). (ALJ Blassman, C-5723 & C-5724, 4/9/09)
NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND DISTRICT COUNCIL 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. An ALJ granted a unit placement petition, without objection, placing the title telecommunications specialist (data) into the petitioner's unit. (ALJ Maier, CP-1182, 5/1/09)
NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND DISTRICT COUNCIL 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. An ALJ granted a unit placement petition, without objection, placing the title computer specialist (operations) into the petitioner's unit. (ALJ Maier, CP-1183, 5/1/09)
COUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS AND
ADMINISTRATORS, LOCAL 1, AFSA AND BROOKLYN
EXCELSIOR CHARTER SCHOOL. The ALJ dismissed the
Association’s petition in Case No. C-5672, which sought to
represent the school’s assistant principals. The ALJ held that
the assistant principals were confidential employees pursuant to
§201.7(a) of the Act and, therefore, could not be represented by
an employee organization. The ALJ rejected the Charter
School’s arguments that PERB lacked jurisdiction because the
for-profit corporation that manages the charter school constitutes
a joint employer of the assistant principals. The ALJ also
rejected the Charter School’s arguments that the assistant
principals qualified to be designated managerial employees
under the Act. The ALJ granted the employer’s application in
Case No. E-2429 that assistant principals Holly Hillary, Peter
Katcher and Leslie King be designated as confidential
employees pursuant to §201.7(a) of the Act and dismissed the
applicant’s application that they be designated managerial. (ALJ
Blassman, C-5672 & E-2429, 6/1/09)
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 118, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD
OF TEAMSTERS AND TOWN OF WALWORTH. Petition
seeking to represent a unit of highway employees was granted.
Deputy highway superintendent was included in unit of MEOs
over objection of Town, where as a working foreman he was
found to have minimal input in regard to supervision, discipline
and evaluation of MEOs. While the deputy would have the legal
authority under Town Law to manage the department in the
absence of the highway superintendent, he had not been
assigned or exercised such authority in the four-year period in
which he held the title, nor was there any reasonable
expectation based on the record that he in fact would. (ALJ
Fitzgerald, C-5796, 6/4/09)
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS,
LOCAL 832 AND VILLAGE OF DUNDEE. Inclusion of the
deputy superintendent in the unit with public works
maintenance workers and a waste water operator was
inappropriate in light of the fact that the deputy was required to
attend all Village Board meetings to report on the state of the
water department, and asked to attend executive sessions
when necessary. (ALJ Doerr, CP-1124, 6/5/09)
MIDDLE COUNTRY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND
MIDDLE COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Where District revaluated its technology program upon the
retirement of a person who held teacher certification and was
a member of the teachers association unit, and created a new
administrative post, that new title is properly placed in the
administrator’s unit. First, the recognition clause of the
teachers collectively negotiated agreement does not include
the new title, on its face, whereas the recognition clause of the
administrators’ agreement does. Second, even if the issue of
the appropriate unit was not resolved by the recognition
clauses of the applicable agreements, an analysis of the
community of interest between the position in question and
those of the units examined shows that placement within the
administrators’ unit is appropriate. The fact that the
administrators’ unit did not intervene in the proceeding does
not bar placement. (ALJ Cacavas, CP-1116, 6/25/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL
1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO AND NIAGARA FRONTIER
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. Two titles petitioned for by
CSEA were added to its bargaining unit with the agreement of the
NFTA: manager, inventory control and equipment engineer
(surface transportation). The remaining five titles were excluded
based on the parties’ agreement that the duties performed by the
employees in those titles are sufficient to warrant a managerial and/
or confidential designation. (ALJ Fitzgerald, CP-1203, 7/21/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL
1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO AND PORT JERVIS CITY SCHOOL
DISTRICT. The administrative law judge granted the unit
placement petition and added the licensed practical nurse title to
the bargaining unit represented by the Civil Service Employees
Association. The ALJ noted that the relevant employee
organizations had consented to the placement and that the
factual averments in the application may support it. (ALJ
Carlson, CP-1137, 7/13/09)
Go To: Recent Board Represenation Decisions 
Archived Decisions Index
Management / Confidential
SHENENDEHOWA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The District's application to designate two Account Clerk Typists (Payroll) as confidential was granted where the parties consented to the designations and the factual averments in the application supported such designations. (ALJ Wlasuk, E-2455, 1/8/09)
CLARKSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The District's application to designate the Director of Facilities and Operations and the Director of Fiscal Management as managerial and the Secretary to the Director of Facilities and Operations and the Secretary to the Director of Fiscal Management as confidential was granted where the parties consented to the designations and the factual averments in the application supported such designations. (ALJ Wlasuk, E-2461, 1/8/09)
SOUTH COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. Where the Senior Account Clerk assists a managerial employee and acts in a confidential capacity to that individual, a confidential designation is warranted. (ALJ Cacavas, E-2468, 1/15/09)
BELLMORE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. Where an accountant has a confidential relationship to a managerial employee in his performance of managerial responsibilities, a confidential designation is warranted. (ALJ Cacavas, E-2469, 1/14/09)
COUNTY OF ORANGE. The County's application to designate the Administrative Officer as managerial was granted upon a finding that she regularly participated in, and influenced the process by which, decisions were made. She is the chief fiscal officer and prepares the budget, participates in the discussion of the budget by the administrative team, and assists in the presentation of the budget to the County Executive and the county board. She is in daily communication with the Commissioner with respect to fiscal issues and is authorized to sign any document the Commissioner is authorized to sign. (ALJ Burritt, E-2437, 1/15/09)
KINGS PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. Debra Ford, Network and Systems Coordinator, was designated as confidential based on the evidence that their duties and responsibilities satisfied the criteria enumerated in §201.7(a) of the Act. (ALJ Cacavas, E-2470, 2/13/09)
SOUTH COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. Where an administrative assistant assists a managerial employee and acts in a confidential capacity to that individual, a confidential designation is warranted. (ALJ Cacavas, E-2472, 4/14/09)
LONGWOOD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The District’s
application to designate the Director of School Safety as managerial
pursuant to §201.7(a) of the Act was granted where the parties
consented to the designations and the factual averments in the
application supported such designations. (ALJ Blassman, E-2480,
7/9/09)
SACHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. Andrew Larson,
Assistant Personnel Administrator, was designated as
managerial insofar as the factual averments of the application
supported such designation. (ALJ Cacavas, E-2485, 8/4/09)
MAMARONECK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. Where an
administrative assistant had a confidential relationship to the Assistant
Superintendent for Support Services – a managerial employee – in the
performance of managerial responsibilities, a confidential designation
was warranted. (ALJ Carlson, E-2452, 8/18/09)
MOUNT SINAI UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. Where
Executive Administrative Assistant assists and acts in a
confidential capacity to the Superintendent of Schools, which is a
managerial position, a confidential designation is warranted.
(ALJ Cacavas, E-2481, 8/20/09)
TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN AND CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO. Where a
senior safety officer was responsible for developing and overseeing
all of the Town’s health and safety policies and programs, as well as
serving as the Town’s health and safety representative with other
municipal and regulatory entities, a managerial designation was
appropriate. The evidence revealed that the officer determined the
Town’s safety goals and objectives and possessed a large degree
of autonomy in determining the methods for accomplishing those.
(ALJ Cacavas, E-2462, 8/25/09)
DELAWARE COUNTY AND DELAWARE COUNTY SHERIFF.
Inasmuch as the factual averments of the duties and responsibilities
of the corrections officer lieutenant, as set forth in the application
may support a conclusion of managerial designation, it would best
effectuate the purposes of the Act to grant the amended application
as to the managerial designation sought therein and stipulated to by
the parties. In light of this, whether the correctional lieutenant
should be designated as confidential need not be decided by
PERB. (ALJ Carlson, E-2416, 8/25/09)
Go To: Recent Board Management / Confidential Decisions Archived Decisions Index
Improper Practices
CITY OF MIDDLETOWN AND CITY OF MIDDLETOWN POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION. In an improper practice charge filed by the City of Middletown, alleging that the City of Middletown Police Benevolent Association (PBA) violated the Act by submitting nonmandatory demands to interest arbitration, proposals for a bill of rights and a disciplinary procedure for police was found nonmandatory as a result of the City Charter which reserved authority over police discipline to the Board of Commissioners. The demand to establish a procedure for General Municipal Law §207-c benefits was held mandatory since it did not infringe on the City's rights under the General Municipal Law to make initial determinations as to employee eligibility. (ALJ Fitzgerald, U-27423, 1/7/09)
MILDRED MENDEZ MONGES AND BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. The Director dismissed a charge alleging that the employer violated the Act because it was devoid of facts which would establish any interference with her rights set forth in §202 of the Act and the operative act occurred more than four months prior to the filing of the charge. (Director Klein, U-28729, 1/8/09)
UTILITY WORKERS' UNION OF AMERICA, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 393 AND SUFFOLK COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY. The ALJ dismissed Local 393's charge, which alleged that the Water Authority violated Act §209-a.1(d) when it subcontracted the exclusive unit work of meter reading. The ALJ found that the Authority did not act unilaterally, but in conformity with the parties' collectively negotiated agreement. The ALJ rejected Local 393's argument that the agreement did not cover the issue of subcontracting "exclusive" unit work because it referred to work "ordinarily and customarily" performed by the Authority employees. The ALJ stated that the comprehensive nature of the agreement, which sets forth the conditions under which subcontracting is and is not permitted, made it clear that the parties intended that the agreement to encompass their entire understanding regarding subcontracting. (ALJ Blassman, U-27085, 1/13/2009)
EAST HAMPTON VILLAGE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC. PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS UNIT AND VILLAGE OF EAST HAMPTON. The Association's charge alleges that the Village violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it unilaterally implemented a sick leave abuse policy that bars unit employees from working overtime if the Village designates them as sick leave abusers. The charge was jurisdictionally deferred upon the parties' consent to a pending grievance. (ALJ Blassman, U-28510, 1/20/09)
SIMPSON GRAY, UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, LOCAL 2, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO AND BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. Where the charging party ignored repeated instructions regarding his opening statement and refused several requests to present evidence in support of his charge at the hearing date, which was scheduled four months from the initial hearing notice, the charge was dismissed on a motion from opposing counsel. The charging party's displeasure with a denial of a prior subpoena request did not justify his blatant disregard for PERB's Rules of Procedure and the instructions of the administrative law judge. (ALJ Cacavas, U-28282, (1/20/09)
PORT WASHINGTON POLICE DISTRICT AND PORT WASHINGTON POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC. The ALJ sustained the Police District's charge (Case No. U27439) alleging that the PBA violated §209-a.2(b) of the Act when it submitted three nonmandatorily negotiable demands to binding, interest arbitration. A proposal to make permanent a temporary twelvehour tour of duty agreement was found to be nonmandatorily negotiable because it includes a minimum staffing and other provisions that interfere with the District's ability to determine staffing levels. A demand proposing a procedure to be followed by employees when filing claims for benefits under GML §207-c was found to be nonmandatorily negotiable because it did not allow the District to make the initial benefit determination. A proposal seeking to allow unit employees to retain all earned compensation if they are promoted to positions outside the PBA negotiating unit was found to be nonmandatory because it seeks to determine the terms and conditions of employment of nonunit employees. The ALJ ordered the PBA to withdraw the nonmandatory proposals from interest arbitration. The ALJ dismissed the PBA's charge (Case No. U27454), which alleged that the District violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act by submitting a nonmandatorily negotiable proposal to interest arbitration, because the District had withdrawn the challenged proposal. (ALJ Blassman, U-27439 & U-27454, 1/22/09)
ROLAND BLOWE AND LYNOX WATSON AND DISTRICT COUNCIL 37, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 1597 AND CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK. The ALJ dismissed a charge alleging that DC 37 violated its duty of fair representation by not bringing a grievance to arbitration. The ALJ found that there was no evidence of arbitrary, discriminatory or bad faith in DC 37's actions, that it investigated whether the matter should proceed to arbitration, and made a rational determination that the matter not proceed to arbitration. Since the charging parties' interpretation of the agreement was not the only possible one, the charge was dismissed. (ALJ Maier, U-28448, 1/26/09)
HEWLETT WOODMERE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY ASSOCIATION AND HEWLETT-WOODMERE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. A charge filed more than four months after the Association knew or should have known that an impact bargaining violation had occurred is untimely and must be dismissed. Where there is a failure to file in a timely fashion, subsequent events will not extend the period of limitations. Notwithstanding the timeliness issues, the mere facts that an employer would not agree to a union's demands or proceed in negotiations according to the Association's wishes, does not constitute bad faith. A totality of the conduct analysis is required to determine both parties' sincerity in desiring to reach resolution. (ALJ Cacavas, U-27459, 1/26/09)
SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC. AND COUNTY OF SUFFOLK. The PBA's charge, alleging that the County violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it unilaterally revoked its assignment of a take home vehicle to a unit employee, was conditionally dismissed pursuant to PERB's merits deferral doctrine. (ALJ Blassman, U-28505, 2/5/09)
TOWN OF TONAWANDA POLICE CLUB AND THE TOWN OF TONAWANDA. The Police Club's charge alleging that the Town violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it unilaterally established a new basis for discipline was deferred to a pending contractual grievance raising the same issue as the charge. (ALJ Doerr, U-28824, 2/13/09)
NEW YORK STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION, COUNTY OF ERIE AND ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION. The County of Erie and ECMCC were found to have violated the Act by unilaterally increasing the wage rate for the per diem registered nurse title at ECMCC in violation of the terms of the parties' expired agreement, while the parties were in the process of negotiating a successor agreement. The defense that the pay increase was a reallocation or reclassification of the title was rejected since the title was a per diem position not assigned to any job group or pay grade, but a position agreed to for purposes of supplementing other unit employees' schedules at an hourly rate. (ALJ Fitzgerald, U-27819, 2/20/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 807, CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY EMPLOYEES UNIT 6300 AND COUNTY OF CHAUTAUQUA. The County was found to have violated §§209-a.1(a) and (c) of the Act when it threatened to commence disciplinary actions with the recommendation of termination if an employee did not withdraw his pending grievance. Union animus was established by the wholly pretextual nature of the County's proffered legitimate business reasons for its actions. That the threat was merely an extreme offer in a negotiating process to which it presumed CSEA and the employee would counter was found not to be credible. (ALJ Doerr, U-27546, 3/5/09)
NEW YORK STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS UNION, COUNCIL 82, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, GREENE COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION, LOCAL 2790G AND COUNTY OF GREENE AND SHERIFF OF GREENE COUNTY. The bargaining agent's agreement to two of the employer's health insurance proposals during successor contract negotiations resulted in a $5 increase in unit employees' co-payments for visits to their doctors' offices. A charge that this constituted a change by the employer in plans under the parties' existing health insurance carrier was dismissed because, at the time of the change, the parties were covered by an agreement which addressed both the amount of co-pay to be assessed and what was to be done in the face of a change in co-payment, evidencing that the parties negotiated the issue of changes in co-payment for doctors' office visits to completion, satisfying the duty to negotiate. Based on this determination, whether the change in co-payment was an action of the employer was not addressed. (ALJ Comenzo, U-27095, 3/17/09)
LOCAL 237, I.B.T AND TOWN OF ISLIP. An ALJ held that the Town violated its duty to negotiate when it refused to bargain over the adoption of a financial disclosure form requiring employees to disclose personal financial information. Based upon Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York, 75 NY 2d 660 (1990) and City of Auburn, 23 PERB 3044 (1990) a bargaining obligation was found to exist prior to implementing this requirement. (ALJ Maier, U-28286, 3/23/09)
WESTCHESTER COUNTY CORRECTION OFFICERS BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC. and COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER (DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION). With the agreement of the parties, the ALJ conditionally dismissed a charge, deferring to the contractually negotiated grievance procedure, where the expired agreement between the parties contained provisions that arguably addressed the issue in the charge and where the employer agreed to waive contractual timeliness requirements. (ALJ Burritt, U-28762, 3/24/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000 AFSCME, AFL-CIO, TOWN OF PENFIELD UNIT 7418 AND TOWN OF PENFIELD. An improper practice charge which alleged a unilateral assignment of bargaining unit work to nonunit employees was deferred on the basis that a grievance was pending pursuant to the parties' grievance procedure under the collectively negotiated agreement. As the charge was based on the same facts asserted in the grievance, the charge was deferred in accordance with the Board's decision in Herkimer County BOCES. (ALJ Poland, U-28771, 3/25/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, ERIE COUNTY LOCAL 815, ERIE COUNTY UNIT and COUNTY OF ERIE. The County was found to have violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it implemented a policy of replacing full-time employees with regular part-time employees working 39 hours a week. Under the policy whether an employee is hired as full-time or regular part-time is based on the status of the applicant and not on operational needs. The County offered no evidence that the policy resulted from a change in the nature and level of services. (ALJ Doerr, U-28198, 3/25/09)
FACULTY ASSOCIATION OF NIAGARA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE and COUNTY OF NIAGARA AND NIAGARA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE. The announcement by the Director of Student Development that dress down Fridays would continue for the time being was not a change in dress standards but a statement that the status quo would be maintained. Even if the announcement of the status quo as the standard of dress for employees in Student Development could be construed as a change, the record revealed that standards of dress at the College varied from office to office and were established by department heads. As there was no unilateral change the charge was dismissed. (ALJ Doerr, U-27626, 4/6/09)
NIAGARA CHARTER SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATION/ NIAGARA WHEATFIELD TEACHERS ASSOCIATION/NYSUT, AFT AND NIAGARA CHARTER SCHOOL. The Niagara Charter School was found to have violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act by its refusal to bargain with the Niagara Wheatfield Teachers Association/NYSUT, AFT, the employee organization designated by the Charter Schools Act as the bargaining representative of a unit of instructional employees of the school. The employer's defenses that acknowledgement of the employee organization would violate the rights of its employees under the Federal and State Constitutions, as well as under the Act, were rejected. PERB has no authority to alter a uniting determination made by the Legislature, even where that determination may be inconsistent with the provisions of the Act or PERB's Rules of Procedure. Further, there is no authority for the argument that there is a federal or state constitutional right to representation by a collective bargaining agent chosen by majority vote. (ALJ Fitzgerald, U-27727, 4/6/09)
BETHLEHEM POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION and TOWN OF BETHLEHEM. The ALJ conditionally dismissed two charges alleging that the Town of Bethlehem violated the Act when it denied time off to an officer compensatory time off, deferring to the parties' contractually negotiated grievance procedures. (ALJ Burritt, U-28876 and U-28877, 4/13/09)
PLATTSBURGH PERMANENT FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION, LOCAL 2421, IAFF AND CITY OF PLATTSBURGH. An ALJ conditionally dismissed a charge alleging that the City of Plattsburgh violated the Act when it unilaterally changed its practices regarding the use and approval of "Association Leave," deferring to the parties' contractual grievance procedures. (ALJ Carlson, U-28191, 4/15/09)
NEW YORK STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS UNION, DISTRICT COUNCIL 82, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 2790 AND VILLAGE OF CATSKILL. The Village of Catskill was found to have violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it unilaterally implemented a policy restricting secondary (outside) employment for full-time employees of the police department. The Village's right to manage its operations and insulate itself from the threat of potential future lawsuits was rejected as a defense since purely hypothetical liability concerns do not outweigh the resulting encroachment upon its employees' off-duty time and off-duty employment opportunities. (ALJ Wlasuk, U-27414, 4/16/09)
KEVIN BIEGEL AND STATE OF NEW YORK (DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES). The Director dismissed a charge alleging that the employer violated the Act because individuals lack standing to allege breaches of one of the subdivisions allegedly violated, the operative act occurred more than four months prior to the filing of the charge, and the charge was devoid of facts. (Director Klein, U-28834, 4/17/09)
KEVIN BIEGEL AND STATE OF NEW YORK (DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES). The Director dismissed a charge alleging that the employer violated the Act because the charge was devoid of facts. (Director Klein, U-28885, 4/17/09)
KEVIN BIEGEL AND STATE OF NEW YORK (DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES). The Director dismissed a charge alleging that the employer violated the Act because the charge was devoid of facts and did not meet all the procedural requirements set forth in the Rules. (Director Klein, U-28886, 4/17/09)
CITY OF PLATTSBURGH AND PLATTSBURGH PERMANENT FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION, LOCAL 2421, IAFF. An ALJ conditionally dismissed a charge alleging that the City of Plattsburgh violated the Act when it unilaterally changed its practice of allowing unit members to attend certain training courses on holidays, deferring to the parties' contractual grievance procedures. (ALJ Carlson, U-28192, 5/5/09)
CHENANGO FORKS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, NYSUT/AFT/AFL-CIO, LOCAL 2561 AND CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. On remand, the record credibly evidenced that both the Association and unit employees employed as of June 12, 2003 were aware many years prior to that date of the District's reimbursement of Medicare Part B premiums to retirees. Therefore, the ALJ confirmed her August 22, 2006 decision and found that the District's June 12, 2003 memorandum to current employees rescinding receipt of that benefit upon retirement violated its duty to negotiate under §209-a.1(d) of the Act. (ALJ Comenzo, U-24520, 5/7/09)
ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. An ALJ dismissed a charge alleging that the Albany City School District violated §§209-a.1(a) and (c) of the Act when it reassigned a teacher, finding that the Union did not meet its burden to establish improper motivation. (ALJ Carlson, U-27875, 5/12/09)
AMHERST HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION AND TOWN OF AMHERST. An improper practice charge which alleged a unilaterally implemented callout procedure that differed from the procedures set forth in the collectively negotiated agreement was deferred on the basis that a grievance was pending pursuant to the parties' grievance procedure under the collectively negotiated agreement. As the charge was based on the same facts asserted in the grievance, the charge was deferred in accordance with the Board's decision in Herkimer County BOCES. (ALJ Poland, U-28675, 5/13/09)
INCOPORATED VILLAGE OF MALVERNE AND MALVERNE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION. An ALJ dismissed the Village's charge since proposals dealing with police discipline, health insurance coverage for dependents of retired employees who had deceased, and certain General Municipal Law 207-c proposals were mandatory subjects of bargaining. The ALJ sustained a PBA charge alleging that a proposal relating to unit configuration was not a mandatory subject of bargaining. (ALJ Maier, U-28688 & U-28731, 5/13/09)
NIAGARA FALLS POLICE CLUB, INC. AND CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS. The City of Niagara Falls was found to have violated the Act by refusing to respond to the Police Club's demand to negotiate a procedure to review initial determinations that an employee is not in compliance with the City's residency requirement. Defense that negotiations were precluded by the authority granted to the City to enact a residence requirement under Public Officers Law §30 was rejected, since that Statute does not address hearing procedures or appeals as to factual determinations of noncompliance. Further, the demand to bargain was not untimely since the matter had not been negotiated, nor had the right to negotiate it been waived. (ALJ Fitzgerald, U-27834, 5/15/09)
VILLAGE OF MOUNT KISCO AND POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION OF MOUNT KISCO, NEW YORK, INC. The ALJ dismissed a charge alleging that the Village violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it unilaterally ended a past practice of paying full salary without charge to leave accruals to employees who were receiving benefits under General Municipal Law §207-c, finding that the parties' collectively negotiated agreement contained a clear and unambiguous grant of authority for the Village to unilaterally end the past practice. (ALJ Burritt, U-27706, 5/18/09)
ELEANOR GASKIN AND UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS. The Director dismissed a charge alleging that the employee organization violated the Act because it identified no act or omission within four months of the filing of the charge and an employee organization cannot violate §209-a.1(a) of the Act. (Director Klein, U-29113, 5/19/09)
TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON AND EAST HAMPTON TOWN
POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC. The ALJ
dismissed all but one of the charge’s allegations that the PBA improperly submitted nonmandatory proposals to binding interest arbitration. The PBA’s proposal to implement a new duty chart that included rotating morning and afternoon shifts was found to be nonmandatory because it would require the Town to schedule the same number of employees during the day and afternoon tours, which would interfere with the Town’s ability to determine staffing levels. Also nonmandatory were the proposal’s requirements that the Town schedule a certain
number of training days and that seniority be the sole criterion upon which tour assignments are made. The PBA’s proposal to expand existing contractual rights regarding the granting of personal leave was found to be mandatory pursuant to the conversion theory of negotiability. A proposed recall provision and a proposal to expand the number of one-day-vacations that unit employees could use were found to be mandatory. The ALJ also found mandatory a proposed GML §207-c procedure that allows officers to submit new medical evidence from their personal physicians after the Town makes its initial
determination. (ALJ Blassman, U-28369, 6/1/09)
EAST HAMPTON TOWN POLICE BENEVOLENT
ASSOCIATION, INC. AND TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON.
The ALJ found that the Town violated the Act when it
submitted to binding interest arbitration nonmandatory
proposals that sought to confine officers to their homes
while on sick leave. The proposals were nonmandatory
because they violated officers’ constitutional rights.
Although the proposals sought to modify existing
contractual provisions, the proposals were not rendered
mandatory by the conversion theory of negotiability, as they are unconstitutionally restrictive. The Town’s proposal to increase the number of tours that unit employees must work to receive annual night differential was found to be mandatory. (ALJ Blassman, U-28407, 6/1/09)
ROCHESTER FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, INC., IAFF
LOCAL 1071, AFL-CIO AND CITY OF ROCHESTER. The
City of Rochester violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it
assigned firefighters non-inherent job duties. The assignment of firefighters to set up, monitor and take down equipment used to provide a low flow spray of water for recreational purposes, as well as the supervision of participants represent duties that go beyond the essential character and related incidental tasks of their job. (ALJ Doerr, U-27786, 6/1/09)
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 1635F AND
ROCHESTER HOUSING AUTHORITY. AFSCME’s improper
practice charge alleging that the Authority violated the Act by negotiating a starting salary directly with a unit employee was dismissed. The parties’ agreement explicitly provided that the salary for an employee who is promoted is negotiated between the employee and the Authority. (ALJ Doerr, U-28751, 6/5/09)
PLATTSBURGH PERMANENT FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION,
LOCAL 2421, IAFF AND CITY OF PLATTSBURGH. An ALJ
conditionally dismissed a charge alleging that the City of Plattsburgh violated the Act when it unilaterally changed its practice of providing “lieu time” for holidays that fell on unit members’ scheduled days off. (ALJ Carlson, U-28193, 7/1/09)
JAVIER PEREZ AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONGRESS
AND THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (HOSTOS
COMMUNITY COLLEGE). Where union member acknowledged
that the union prepared his case with him, outlined its strategy, presented proof consistent therewith, and did a good job at the arbitration, an action brought against the union after receipt of a disappointing arbitration award is dismissed. The fact that the employee felt other witnesses or evidence should have been presented and a more “robust” effort could have been made by his representative does not establish a violation absent a
showing that the union acted arbitrarily, discriminatorily or in bad faith. (ALJ Cacavas, U-27574, 7/9/09)
COUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS AND
ADMINISTRATORS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF
THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW
YORK. The Council’s (CSA) charge, alleging that the District violated §§209-a.1(a) and (d) of the Act when it unilaterally reduced the number of parking permits available for unit employees, changed the procedures by which such permits are granted and refused to negotiate with the CSA regarding the reduced availability of parking was deferred upon the parties’ consent to a pending grievance. (ALJ Blassman, U-28607, 7/9/09)
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 650, AFL-CIO AND CITY
OF BUFFALO. The ALJ deferred to the parties’ grievance and arbitration procedure a charge which alleged a violation of the Act when the City of Buffalo announced that it would, henceforth, require employees, upon retirement, to subscribe to Medicare Part B. A grievance had been filed under the parties’ contractual grievance arbitration procedure. (ALJ Doerr, U-28755, 7/14/09)
RONALD GRASSEL AND BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE
CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. An
ALJ dismissed a charge alleging that the District violated the Act by reinstating Education §3020-a charges against Grassel in December 2007 because of a grievance he filed in 1997. The ALJ found that based upon the offer of proof made on the record and a prior Board decision between the same parties, Grassel failed to demonstrate a prima facie case. The District’s motion to dismiss was therefore granted. (ALJ Maier, U-28124, 7/15/09)
ROBERT CARROLL AND CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO,
LOCAL 870 AND PATCHOGUE UNION FREE SCHOOL
DISTRICT. Where charging party failed to attend the prehearing conference and failed to advise PERB thereafter of his desire to have his case proceed, a motion to dismiss for abandonment of the claim was granted. Specifically, opposing parties were required to wait at the conference for one hour, a call was made
to the charging party by the administrative law judge but not answered, and the charging party was ordered to provide a written explanation for his failure to appear, but did not do so. Since numerous accommodations were made for the charging party, and he was put on clear written notice that his failure to provide a reason for his inaction would lead to the dismissal of his case, his failure to respond warranted dismissal of the charge. (ALJ Cacavas, U-29075, 7/20/09)
FRANK COONS AND CITY OF ALBANY. The ALJ
dismissed a charge alleging that the employer violated the Act when it refused to deal with the charging party as a shop steward because the union had previously removed him as a shop steward, had directed the employer to only deal with the union president, and because the employer had no influence or involvement regarding the union’s decision to remove the charging party as a shop steward. (ALJ Wlasuk, U-28104, 7/20/09)
WESTCHESTER COUNTY CORRECTION OFFICERS
BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION AND PATRICK GARRETT
AND COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. The charge, alleging
that the County violated §§209-a.1(a) and (c) of the Act when it verbally disciplined Garrett and served him with formal disciplinary charges in retaliation for acting as a COBA health and safety delegate was dismissed for failure to prove improper motivation and that the action for which he was disciplined was protected activity. The ALJ found that Garrett’s measuring of the temperature of food served to inmates, although performed in his role as a union representative, was not protected activity because it did not pertain to a term and condition of employment of unit employees. The action was also not protected because it was performed during work time and the record did not evidence a practice of allowing COBA officers to perform union duties during work time or that Garrett was on release time. The ALJ rejected COBA’s argument that the Department sought disciplinary charges against Garret because he had filed a PESH complaint that led to violations against the County. The record showed that the decision to seek discipline against Garrett was made before he filed the PESH complaint. (ALJ Blassman, U-27146, 7/23/09)
PLATTSBURGH PERMANENT FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION,
LOCAL 2421, IAFF AND CITY OF PLATTSBURGH. An ALJ
conditionally dismissed a charge alleging that the City of Plattsburgh violated the Act when it unilaterally changed its practice of paying bargaining unit members for attending EMT training, deferring to the parties’ contractual grievance procedures. (ALJ Carlson, U-28194, 7/20/09)
GLEN COVE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND GLEN
COVE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The Association’s
charge alleged that the District violated §209-a.1(a) of the Act when a principal discussed grievance issues during a faculty meeting, ordered the Association president to leave the faculty meeting, unilaterally changed the start time of faculty meetings, extended the school day and denied the Association the use of faculty meeting time. The charge also alleged that the District violated the Act when the superintendent counseled the Association’s president, verbally and in writing, and when the principal scheduled unfounded disciplinary meetings with the Association’s president. The ALJ dismissed the charge, finding that, although the principal expressed his opinion during the faculty meeting regarding issues that had been discussed during labor-management meetings, his statements did not violate the Act because they were not intended or likely to coerce employees into relinquishing rights guaranteed by the Act. The ALJ found that the principal did not violate the Act when he directed the Association president to stop speaking and to leave the room during the faculty
meeting, because the principal had no right to continue speaking after the principal told her to keep quiet. If the Association objected to the principal’s statements or believed that it had a right to speak during that meeting, its remedy was to comply with the principal’s
directions and file a grievance or other appropriate proceeding to assert its rights. Although the principal changed the starting time of faculty meetings and refused to allow the Association time during the meeting to conduct faculty business, the record showed that the
principal acted under the belief that he was contractually privileged to do so and a bona fide dispute regarding contractual rights does not raise a violation of §209-a.1(a) of the Act. Nor did the District did
not violate the Act when it counseled the Association president verbally and in writing, since it counseled her for her failure to comply with the principal’s directions and because she dismissed the meeting without authority. The allegations that the principal was improperly motivated when he scheduled disciplinary meetings with
the Association’s principal were dismissed for failure of proof. (ALJ Blassman, U-27450, 8/4/09)
MONROE COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES
ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
MONROE COUNTY LOCAL 828, MONROE COUNTY PARTTIME
EMPLOYEES UNIT 7401 AND COUNTY OF MONROE.
The County conducted a poll of unit members seeking to
ascertain support for the union in violation of §209-a.1(a) of the Act. A contract provision that states that if the County received evidence that 30% or more of the employees were questioning the union’s status did not privilege the County to conduct the poll. Any evidence the County may receive as a result of the poll will have been solicited by it. PERB has not endorsed the use of
polls to ascertain union sentiment. That the poll conformed to safeguards recognized in the private sector, where employer polling is common, does not render the County’s poll permissible. (ALJ Doerr, U-29194, 8/10/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL
1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, LIVINGSTON COUNTY LOCAL 826,
LIVINGSTON COUNTY EMPLOYEES UNIT 7300 AND
COUNTY OF LIVINGSTON. An improper practice charge,
alleging that the county unilaterally changed a practice regarding scheduling on certain holidays, was dismissed as untimely following an offer of proof. The date upon which the County announced the change and issued a schedule of holiday work assignments was the date on which the time to file began to run, not the date of the first holiday on which a unit employee was scheduled to work. (ALJ Fitzgerald, U-28627, 8/11/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL
1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 807, TOWN OF PORTLAND
UNIT 6321-00 UNIT 6300 AND TOWN OF PORTLAND.
CSEA’s allegations that the Town violated §§209-a.1(a), (c) and (d) of the Act when it relieved the unit secretary/treasurer and negotiating team member of her duties as water receptor and attendant stipend for performing those duties were dismissed. There was no proof of animus or proof that the reason proffered
by the Town for transferring the duties was pretextual. Further, as the Town’s decision as to who would perform water receptor duties was nonmandatory, its actions did not violate its duty to maintain the status quo until an initial contract was negotiated to completion. Finally, as the work transferred was part-time and as the unit was composed of all full-time employees only, the work of water receptor was not exclusive to the unit and its transfer was not, therefore, illegal subcontracting, as
claimed. (ALJ Doerr, U-27659, 8/13/09)
UNITED PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES UNION AND
ELLWOOD UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The ALJ
sustained UPSEU’s charge alleging that the District
violated §§209-a.1(a) and (c) of the Act when it eliminated the position of David DeSimone, a unit employee and a UPSEU shop steward, because of his protected activity. The record showed that DeSimone had engaged in protected activity that was known to his supervisors and District administrators, that he was quick to seek the assistance of UPSEU in asserting contractual rights and that, when he became a shop steward, he was a vocal representative. The record also demonstrated that the District’s plant facilities administrator made various statements evidencing union animus against DeSimone. The ALJ rejected the District’s argument that it acted based upon non-discriminatory business reasons and that it had laid off DeSimone for budgetary reasons. The ALJ found the District’s reasons pretextual, since the District could have laid off a temporary worker who performed the same work as DeSimone and refused to rehire DeSimone when unit positions subsequently became available. (ALJ Blassman, U-27724, 8/17/09)
GUY B. GIAMMATTEO AND TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON
AND PATROLMAN'S BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION OF
SOUTHAMPTON TOWN, INC. The Director dismissed a
charge alleging that the employer violated §209-a.1(d) of
the Act because individuals lack standing to allege
breaches of that subdivision. The allegation that the
bargaining agent breached its duty of fair representation
was dismissed as the alleged refusal to represent the
charging party occurred more than four months prior to the filing of the charge. (Director Klein, U-29302, 8/17/09)
NEW YORK STATE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND
POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, INC., AND
STATE OF NEW YORK (DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES). A charge that the
employer’s denial of a probationary employee’s request for representation by his bargaining agent at a meeting with investigators for the employer violated §§209-a.1(a) and (g) of the Act was upheld on a finding that §209-a.1(g) of the Act covers probationary employees; that it reasonably appeared that the at-issue employee’s job was potentially in jeopardy, as that section of the statute requires; and that the employee had made a request for representation. (ALJ Comenzo, U-28160, 8/19/09)
DEBORAH BYRON AND UNITED FEDERATION OF
TEACHERS, LOCAL 2, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
TEACHERS, AFL-CIO AND BOARD OF EDUCATION OF
THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW
YORK. Where the charging party has failed to establish
involvement in protected activity, as that term is defined under the Act, a critical element of the standard of proof is missing. Similarly, it is essential that proof establish that the person who orchestrated the complained of action, in a charge under §§209-a.1(a) and (c), had knowledge of involvement in activity that was protected. Lastly, a charging party must establish that the actions complained of were taken for reasons of union animus, which burden of proof is not met by merely conclusory or speculative statements. As to claims
against a union for breaching its duty of fair representation, there must be a showing of bad faith, arbitrariness or discrimination, as that term is defined by case law. A charging party’s mere disagreement with the decision of a union, or its refusal to take a
case to arbitration, is insufficient for finding a violation. (ALJ Cacavas, U-28001, 8/25/09)
CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL
1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO AND NASSAU HEALTH CARE
CORPORATION. CSEA’s charge, alleging that the NHCC
violated §209-a.1(d) of the Act when it unilaterally changed the shifts worked by certain nurses from eleven-hours and forty minutes to eight hours was deferred to pending contractual grievances raising the same matters as the charge. (ALJ Blassman, U-29149, 8/25/09)
JAMES L. KOWNACK, JR. AND CIVIL SERVICE
EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, INC., LOCAL 1000, AFSCME,
AFL-CIO, LOCAL 847, SCHENECTADY COUNTY LIBRARY
UNIT AND COUNTY OF SCHENECTADY. The ALJ dismissed
as untimely a charge alleging that CSEA violated its duty of fair representation by filing an incomplete grievance on behalf of the charging party because it was filed over four months following the alleged improper practice by CSEA. (ALJ Wlasuk, U-27168, 8/27/09)
YONKERS FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, LOCAL 860,
AFL-CIO, YONKERS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND
YONKERS COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATORS, LOCAL 8,
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS, AFL-CIO. An ALJ found that the
District transferred unit work that had been performed by
the union to a nonunit employee in violation of the Act. The duties of the position of International Baccalaureate
enrichment developer had been performed by unit
members exclusively for a number of years at different
locations. The fact that the duties were transferred to an administrator did not constitute a change of qualifications so as to trigger the balancing analysis under the Board’s precedent. (ALJ Maier, U-27599, 8/31/09)
CAROL RUIZ AND BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE
CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
An ALJ granted a motion to dismiss a charge after the
close of Ruiz’s case. The evidence produced was plainly
insufficient, even granting her all favorable inferences, that the alleged adverse actions taken against her were due to her protected activity. (ALJ Maier, U-28200, 8/31/09)
UNITED PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES UNION AND
WEST ISLIP UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT. An ALJ
dismissed a charge which alleged that the District violated the past practice of transferring employees in reverse order of seniority. There was no evidence that a past practice existed and the charge was therefore dismissed. (ALJ Maier, U-28555, 8/31/09)
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Declaratory Rulings
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION OF NASSAU COUNTY, LOCAL 1588, IAFF, AFL-CIO AND VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY. A union's statement, included in its bargaining proposals, to the effect that a provision of the existing collectively negotiated agreement (Agreement) is void as inconsistent with prevailing statutory law and must be removed from the Agreement does not constitute a scope of negotiations question under the Act. Under §210 of PERB's Rules of Procedure the purpose of a declaratory ruling petition is to determine whether a matter is a subject of mandatory negotiations. There must exist a real dispute between the parties as to the negotiability of a specific demand. Where, as here, there is no proposal and no refusal to negotiate, a declaratory ruling is inappropriate and such petition must be dismissed. (ALJ Cacavas, DR-125, 5/19/09)
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