A&A: Union representatives in closed labor negotiations

Union representatives in closed labor negotiations

Q: Is it legal, and if so, which code can I refer to, to ask the teachers’ union president to come into our closed session under labor negotiations to give us a report only on what is being negotiated?  My reason for this is that we do not receive all the information from our negotiation team for the district so we are looking for a way to have the union report it directly to us…not negotiate.

A: A closed session may be held, pursuant to section 54957.6 of the Brown Act, to discuss salaries, salary schedules, fringe benefits, and other issues within the scope of negotiations between a local agency and its employees with the local agency’s representative.  The purpose of this closed session is only to consult with its own representative, not to speak directly with a representative of the organized employee unit.

Although there are a number of other reasons that a closed session may be held, direct discussions with a representative of a bargaining unit is not one of them.