Opinion ID: 1928463
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Premium Pay Issue.

Text: This proposal, by providing for a twenty-five percent pay premium for ready time when the employer exercises its right to assign traditional active work, appears to preserve the exclusive right of the employer to assign work. The union argues that there is therefore no conflict with the exclusive right of assignment of duties given to the employer by section 20.7. Moreover, the union argues that this is a mandatory subject of negotiation because it concerns wages, shift differentials, overtime compensation, or supplemental pay. We believe this proposal infringes on the employer's right to direct its employees' work for the reasons discussed in Division II. Moreover, we agree with PERB that this was not a question of shift differential because the work to be assigned and the compensation apply to work within a single shift. Also, the proposal cannot be said to cover overtime because it applies only to regular working hours. Supplemental pay, another mandatory subject of bargaining, is also not involved; as we said in Fort Dodge Community School District, supplemental pay is that pay based on extra services rendered. 319 N.W.2d at 184. The services covered by this proposal are not extra; they are services that are a normal part of the fire fighter's job. We believe that the district court erred in reversing PERB on this issue, and we therefore reverse. We remand for entry of an order affirming the ruling by PERB. AFFIRMED ON APPEAL; REVERSED ON CROSS-APPEAL; REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.