Section 30750.

(a) Subject to subdivision (b), if a majority of the employees employed by a district in a unit appropriate for collective bargaining indicate a desire to be represented by a labor organization, then the board, after determining pursuant to Section 30751 that the labor organization represents the employees in the appropriate unit, shall bargain with the accredited representative of those employees. Both parties shall bargain in good faith and make all reasonable efforts to reach agreement on the terms of a written contract governing wages, hours, and working conditions. In the absence of the expression of the desire to be represented by a labor organization, employees are subject to any personnel system established pursuant to Section 30257.

(b) Upon the acquisition by the district of the property of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 31000), the district shall assume and observe all existing labor contracts and shall recognize the labor organization certified to represent the employees in each existing bargaining unit as the sole representative of the employees in each of those bargaining units. Any certification of a labor organization previously made by the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service under the provisions of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority Act of 1957 to represent or act for the employees in any collective bargaining unit shall remain in full force and effect and shall be binding upon the district. Those certifications and any certifications made under this subdivision shall not be subject to challenge on the grounds that a new substantial question of representation within the collective bargaining unit exists until the lapse of one year from the date of certification or the expiration of any collective bargaining agreement, whichever is later; provided, that no collective bargaining agreement shall be construed to be a bar to representation proceedings for a period of more than two years.

(c) The obligation of the district to bargain in good faith with a duly designated or certified labor organization and to execute a written collective bargaining agreement with that labor organization covering the wages, hours, and working conditions of the employees represented by that labor organization in an appropriate unit, and to comply with the terms of that collective bargaining agreement, shall not be limited or restricted by any other provision of law. The obligation of the district to bargain collectively shall extend to all subjects of collective bargaining, including, but not limited to, retroactive pay increases. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the district shall make deductions from the wages and salaries of its employees, upon receipt of authorization to make those deductions, for the payment of union dues, fees, or assessments, for the payment of contributions pursuant to any health and welfare plan or pension plan, or for any other purpose for which deductions may be authorized by employees where the deductions are pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement with a duly designated or certified labor organization.

(d) (1) If a dispute arises over wages, hours, or working conditions that is not resolved by negotiations conducted in good faith between the board and the representatives of the employees, then upon the agreement of both parties, the board and the representative of the employees may submit the dispute to an arbitration board. The decision of a majority of the arbitration board shall be final and binding.

(2) (A) The arbitration board shall be composed of two representatives of the district, two representatives of the labor organization, and a fifth member to be agreed upon by the representatives of the district and labor organization.

(B) If the representatives of the district and labor organization are unable to agree on the fifth member, then the names of five persons experienced in labor arbitration shall be obtained from the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service. The labor organization and the district shall, alternately, strike a name from the list supplied by the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service. The labor organization and the district shall determine by lot who shall first strike a name from the list. After the labor organization and the district have stricken four names, the name remaining shall be designated as the arbitrator. The decision of a majority of the arbitration board shall be final and binding upon the parties.

(C) The district and the labor organization shall each pay half of the cost of the impartial arbitrator.

(e) A contract or agreement shall not be made with any labor organization, association, group, or individual that denies membership on any basis listed in subdivision (a) of Section 12940 of the Government Code, as those bases are defined in Sections 12926 and 12926.1 of the Government Code. However, the organization may preclude from membership any individual who advocates the overthrow of the government by force or violence.

(f) The district shall not discriminate with regard to employment against any person on any basis listed in subdivision (a) of Section 12940 of the Government Code, as those bases are defined in Sections 12926 and 12926.1 of the Government Code, except as otherwise provided in Section 12940 of the Government Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 46, Sec. 122. Effective June 27, 2012.)