LA County Board

67. County Code, Charter Amendment Ordinance for adoption calling for a special election to be held on November 3, 2026, for the purpose of voting upon an amendment to the Los Angeles County (County) Charter (Charter) that would: (Relates to Agenda No. 39) ADOPT Establish a binding arbitration process for resolving labor disputes between the County with "Certified Public Safety Employee Organizations,” that represent County employees, including: firefighters, deputy sheriffs, sworn law enforcement supervisors and managers, lifeguards, and civilian employees working for the Fire Department, Sheriff's Department, and the Department of the Medical Examiner, among other represented County employees; Add Section 47.8 to the County Charter; Require the County and the Certified Public Safety Employee Organizations (collectively, the Parties) to negotiate in good faith on matters related to wages, hours, and other working conditions; Appoint a three-members Board of Arbitrators panel to make a decision on relevant memoranda of understanding if, following good faith negotiations, the Parties are unable to resolve disputes or controversies related to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment; Require that the Parties each appoint one arbitrator. A third arbitrator is agreed to by the Parties and serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Arbitrators. If the Parties cannot agree upon the selection of the third neutral arbitrator, either party may then request the State Mediation and Conciliation Service to provide a list of seven persons who are qualified arbitrators. If the Parties cannot agree on one of the seven persons, the Parties shall alternately strike names from the list until one name remains. Alternatively, the Parties may waive the appointment of party-appointed arbitrators and proceed with a single arbitrator agreed to by the Parties; Require that any interest arbitration proceeding convened pursuant to this section be conducted in conformance with, subject to, and governed by Title 9 of Part 3 of the California Code of Civil Procedure; Require that the Board of Arbitrators, in the exercise of its discretion, may meet privately with the Parties and shall mediate issues in dispute prior to arbitration; Require that if no agreement is reached prior to the conclusion of the arbitration hearings, each Party will be directed to submit a final offer of settlement on each remaining issue in dispute; Require that the Board of Arbitrators, by majority vote, selects which final offer to impose for each issue based on specified criteria; Require that the Board of Arbitrators provides its decision to the Parties. The decision is not disclosed publicly, and the Parties have 30 days to meet privately to resolve their differences. Any agreements reached by the Parties during that period are incorporated into the Board of Arbitrators' final decision. After 30 days, unless extended by mutual agreement, the decision becomes public and final and is binding on the Parties. No further action by the County Board of Supervisors or by the electorate to confirm or approve the decision is permitted or required; and Require that the Parties will equally share the cost of arbitration. The ordinance further directs the consolidation of the Special Election with the Statewide General Election, to be held on the same day, November 3, 2026. (26-1415)