FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1020

                                  C 275 L 89

BYRepresentatives Vekich, Winsley, Patrick, Sayan, Prentice, Rector, Dellwo, Basich, Spanel and P. King 

Authorizing collective bargaining for district court employees.

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act covers all municipal and county employees, with specified exceptions.  In 1975, the Washington State Supreme Court decided that certain superior court employees who are paid by the county are only covered under the collective bargaining act with respect to bargaining over wages.  The court determined that because the operation of the courts is a matter of state concern rather than local concern, the judicial branch, as opposed to the county, is the employer for purposes of hiring, firing and working conditions.

In a 1986 decision, the Public Employment Relations Commission applied the court's reasoning to district court employees and held that these employees are "state employees" for personnel matters other than wages. Therefore, these employees are entitled to collectively bargain with the county employer only over wages.  The commission did not find a statutory requirement for district court judges to collectively bargain over other personnel matters.

SUMMARY:

The public employee collective bargaining laws are made applicable to district courts.  The public employer of the district court employees with respect to collective bargaining over wage-related matters is the county legislative authority.  The public employer with respect to nonwage-related matters is the judge or judge's designee.  Each judge or court commissioner may exclude no more than one personal assistant from a bargaining unit.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 61  26

      Senate    44     0 (Senate amended)

      House 88   9 (House concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989