Opinion ID: 1807276
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Effect of collective bargaining agreement upon an elector.

Text: The collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Union included a clause by which the City agreed to dismiss all legal proceedings commenced by it and pending against the Union and its members, to waive all other causes of action arising out of the negotiations or the strike, and to refrain from directly or indirectly commencing an action that would in any way discipline any employee for participation in the strike. [2] The narrow issue presented by this case is whether the amnesty clause above referred to and contained in the collective bargaining agreement abrogates the statutory right of an elector to file a complaint with the appellant contained in sec. 62.13 (5) (b), Stats. We are of the opinion that it does not. The first paragraph of the agreement specifically refers to proceedings commenced by the City and to causes of action by the City. The filing of a complaint by an elector with the Board constitutes neither. The second paragraph of the agreement recites, Consistent with appropriate Wisconsin statutes, it is the express policy of the City that it will not directly or indirectly commence an action that will in any way discipline.... (Emphasis added.) It is the contention of the appellant that the processing of the elector's complaint by the appellant constitutes the City indirectly commencing an action to discipline the respondent. However, the elector has a statutory right to file charges and if the city council could somehow foreclose the right of the Board to process charges filed by the elector, it follows that the lawful right of an elector to file charges as provided in sec. 62.13 (5) (b), Stats., would be rendered meaningless. The Board is required to process charges filed with it by an elector in accordance with the statutes of the State of Wisconsin and such rules and regulations as it may adopt which are not inconsistent therewith. The ultimate disposition by the Board of the charges so filed by an elector will be considered later in this opinion. We find no authority which is particularly helpful on this issue and have considered all authorities advanced by both parties. Among other authorities, our attention has been directed to Muskego-Norway Consolidated Schools Joint School Dist. No. 9 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board (1967), 35 Wis. 2d 540, 151 N. W. 2d 617, and Joint School Dist. No. 8 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board (1967), 37 Wis. 2d 483, 155 N. W. 2d 78. Respondent advances an argument on the same principle as that adopted in Joint School Dist. No. 8 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board, supra , that since sec. 111.70, Stats., was enacted subsequent to sec. 62.13 (5), the latter must yield to sec. 111.70 (4) (i), and thus a city may agree to a provision granting amnesty when entering into a binding, collective bargaining agreement pursuant to sec. 111.70 (4) (i) even though it would defeat the lawful right of an elector to file charges. The argument, however, assumes that sec. 111.70 (4) (i), does authorize a municipality to agree to an amnesty clause in a collective bargaining agreement which would abrogate the right of an elector to file charges. We find no authority to support such a position. It is apparent from the position taken by the respective parties that they are interested in a broad decision from this court on the relationship between the Board and the City, and the respective powers, duties and rights of the Board as it relates to a decision by the city council to include an amnesty clause in a collective bargaining agreement with police and firemen. The facts of this case do not dictate such a decision. In the instant case, the firemen returned to duty, and the City sought and was granted a dismissal of the legal proceedings it had initiated against them, all in furtherance of the collective bargaining agreement. The Board itself made an inquiry into the conduct of the firemen, and no individual member of the Board, nor the Board itself, chose to file any charges against any fireman. This case deals solely with a complaint on charges lawfully filed by an elector. Thus, having determined that the city council cannot enter into an agreement which would foreclose an elector from filing charges with the Board, we do not reach the question of whether the Board is bound by the contract between the City and the Union.