General Assembly Raised Bill No. 63
February Session, 2014 LCO No. 525
*00525_______LAB*
Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Introduced by:
(LAB)
General Assembly
Raised Bill No. 63
February Session, 2014
LCO No. 525
*00525_______LAB*
Referred to Committee on LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Introduced by:
(LAB)
AN ACT CONCERNING TIMELINES FOR ARBITRATION AWARDS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 31-98 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):
(a) The panel, or its single member if sitting in accordance with section 31-93, may, in its discretion and with the consent of the parties, issue an oral decision immediately upon conclusion of the proceedings. If the decision is to be in writing, it shall be signed, within fifteen days, by a majority of the members of the panel or by the single member so sitting, and the decision shall state such details as will clearly show the nature of the decision and the points disposed of by the panel. Where the decision is in writing, one copy thereof shall be filed by the panel in the office of the town clerk in the town where the controversy arose and one copy shall be given to each of the parties to the controversy. The panel or single member which has rendered an oral decision immediately upon conclusion of the proceedings shall submit a written copy of the decision to each party within fifteen days from the issuance of such oral decision. In all cases where a decision is rendered orally from the bench, the secretary shall cause such oral decision to be transcribed, approved by the panel or single member as applicable and filed with the records of the board proceedings. Any award rendered pursuant to a written or oral decision of the board shall be issued to the aggrieved party not later than sixty days following the date the board notifies the parties of its decision.
Sec. 2. Section 31-107 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):
(a) The board is empowered and directed to prevent any unfair labor practices. When a complaint has been made to the board that any employer has engaged in or is engaging in an unfair labor practice, the board shall refer such complaint to the agent who shall, after investigation and within ninety days after the date of such referral, either (1) make a report to the board recommending dismissal of the complaint, or (2) issue a written complaint charging unfair labor practices. If no such report is made and no such written complaint is issued, the board may in its discretion proceed to a hearing upon the party's original complaint of the violation of this chapter which shall in such case be treated for the purpose of this section as a complaint issued by the agent. Upon receiving a report from the agent recommending dismissal of a complaint, the board may issue an order dismissing the complaint or may order a further investigation or a hearing thereon.
(b) Upon receiving a complaint issued by the agent, the board shall set a time and place for the hearing, which time and place may be changed by the board at the request of the agent or the employer for cause shown. Any such complaint may be amended with the permission of the board. The person so complained of shall have the right to file an answer to the original or amended complaint within five days after the service of such complaint or within such other time as the board may limit. Such person shall have the right to appear in person or otherwise to defend against such complaint. In the discretion of the board any person may be allowed to intervene in such proceeding. In any hearing the board shall not be bound by technical rules of evidence prevailing in the courts.
(c) A stenographic or electronic record of the testimony shall be taken at all hearings of the board and a transcript thereof shall be filed with the board upon its request. The board shall have the power to order the taking of further testimony and for further argument. If, upon all the testimony, the board determines that the employer has engaged in or is engaging in any unfair labor practice, it shall state its finding of fact and shall issue and cause to be served on such employer an order requiring him to cease and desist from such unfair labor practice, and shall take such further affirmative action as will effectuate the policies of this chapter, including, but not limited to: (1) Withdrawal of recognition from and refraining from bargaining collectively with any company union, established, maintained or assisted by any action defined in this chapter as an unfair labor practice; (2) awarding of back pay; (3) reinstatement with or without back pay of any employee discriminated against in violation of section 31-105 or by maintenance of a preferential list from which such employee shall be returned to work; (4) reinstatement with or without back pay of all employees whose work has ceased or whose return to work has been delayed or prevented as the result of unfair labor practice in respect to any employee or employees or the maintenance of a preferential list from which such employees shall be returned to work. Such order may further require such person to make reports from time to time showing the extent to which the order has been complied with. If upon all the testimony the board is of the opinion that the person or persons named in the complaint have not engaged in or are not engaging in any such unfair labor practice, then the board shall make its finding of fact and shall issue an order dismissing the complaint. The board shall not require as a condition of taking action or issuing any order under this chapter that employees on strike or engaged in any other lawful concerted activity shall discontinue such strike or such activity. Until a transcript of the record in a case has been filed in the Superior Court, as provided in section 31-109, the board may, at any time, upon notice, modify or set aside in whole or in part any finding or order made or issued by it. Proceedings before the board shall be held with all possible expedition. A party against whom any order, action or award is rendered by the board shall comply with such order, action or award not later than sixty days following the date the board notifies the parties of such order, action or award.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2014 31-98(a)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2014 31-107
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
October 1, 2014
31-98(a)
Sec. 2
October 1, 2014
31-107
Statement of Purpose:
To establish firm timelines for the issuance of awards in cases before the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration and the State Board of Labor Relations.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]