Catherwood LibraryILR School

In a clear defeat for California's police officers, firefighters, and other public safety workers, the California Supreme Court yesterday struck down a state law allowing public safety unions to declare bargaining impasses and invoke mandatory binding arbitration. Citing a clause in the state constitution that prevents the legislature from giving control over the functions of local government to private entities, the Justices unanimously ruled that city and county governments cannot be forced to arbitrate unwillingly. The decision holding the 2001 law unconstitutional instantly drew fire from police, firefighters and unions concerned that if they are unable to rely on binding arbitration to settle contracts, they will be backed into damaging municipal strikes by intransigent local governments.