Los Angeles County voters will decide next month whether to change how labor disputes involving public safety employees are resolved.
If LA County Measure A passes, labor disputes involving unions that represent employees such as sheriff’s deputies, district attorney investigators and medical examiners would be settled through binding arbitration.
For example, if the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the union representing rank-and-file deputies, is involved in a labor dispute with the county, the two sides would first engage in good-faith negotiations over issues such as wages, benefits or working conditions.
If negotiations reach an impasse, a three-member arbitration panel would step in to resolve the dispute. The panel’s decision would become final and binding after a 30-day period during which the parties could still attempt to reach their own agreement.
Measure A would prohibit strikes by district attorney investigators, medical examiners and lifeguards, while affirming existing strike prohibitions for sheriff’s deputies and firefighters.
If approved, Measure A would not directly affect Los Angeles County revenue. However, the use of binding arbitration panels could cost the county from tens of thousands to millions of dollars in administrative and legal expenses.
A simple majority vote is required for the measure to pass.