Archives for January 2015

PERC Holds that the Seattle School District Refused to Bargain in Good Faith by Failing to Timely Provide Relevant Information Requested by the Union

 By Christopher Casillas and Jordan L. Jones

JAsIn  Seattle School District, PERC Examiner Ramerman held that the Employer refused to bargain in good faith by failing to timely provide relevant information requested by the International Union of Operating Engineers in violation of RCW 41.56.140(1) and (4). Examiner Ramerman noted that “although the [E]mployer acknowledged the [Union’s information] request two weeks after the request was made, the [E]mployer ‘dropped the ball’ and took no additional action for approximately five weeks from late August 2013 until early October 2013.”

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PERC Dismisses ULP Complaint Filed Against the Port of Anacortes for Unilaterally Changing the Health Insurance Benefits of the Union Because of Business Necessity

By Christopher Casillas and Jordan L. Jones

health_insurance_signIn Port of Anacortes, PERC Examiner Page Garcia dismissed an unfair labor practice (ULP) complaint filed against the Port of Anacortes for unilaterally changing the health insurance benefits of Union members. Examiner Garcia found that although the Port of Anacortes had “failed to maintain the status quo by changing the health insurance benefits offered to bargaining unit employees” and had “presented the change in health insurance benefits as a fait accompli”, the Employer “met its burden of proof to support its defense of business necessity.”

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