Opinion ID: 1989368
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: union organization and collective bargaining agreement negotiations

Text: In December 1994, after the road department employees voted for union representation, the CIR certified the Union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for road department employees, a total of 27 employees, excluding the 3 foremen. On April 21, 1995, the Union petitioned the CIR to establish wages and benefits retroactively for the pay periods from July 1994 through June 1995. The Union again petitioned the CIR in January 1996 to establish wages and benefits for the pay periods from July 1995 through June 1996. On March 12, 1996, the CIR issued an order disposing of the Union's first wage and benefit petition. As a result of the order, the County's cost increased $56,200. County Commissioner Clyde Chester Stoll testified that after receiving the order, the county commissioners first considered layoffs. While the second wage and benefit petition was pending before the CIR, the County and the Union negotiated a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The record reflects that at a negotiation session, Stoll told Union representatives that the County estimated the proposed CBA would immediately cost the County an additional $100,000. Stoll testified that he told Union bargaining representatives that the County would lay off four men if the CBA was signed. On April 3, 1996, the Otoe County Attorney sent Edward E. Cox, the Union's president, a letter stating that the county commissioners agreed that if the budget authority for 1996-97 remained the same, a total of four (4) positions may be lost due to the retroactive benefits that have to be paid. A CBA was signed and executed on April 4, 1996. Stoll stated that on that day, he told Union representatives that the County intended to lay off four people. The CIR concluded that Stoll specifically meant four bargaining unit employees. The CBA provided that the County had [t]he right at any time to ... terminate jobs and the right to lay off at any time. Bargaining unit members Terry Helms, Rex Bassinger, and Ervin Meyer (the discharged employees) were subsequently terminated from employment on April 19, June 14, and June 14, 1996, respectively. The County sent each a letter providing 15 days' notice and stating that the layoff was due to budget constraints. No other County employee, bargaining unit or otherwise, was involuntarily terminated from employment.