Public employee unions push bill on transparency; some say it does the opposite

By Jon Ortiz

A union-backed measure on Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk would require that a handful of cities and one county disclose more information about outsourced services, but the bill’s opponents say its real aim is to keep union labor negotiations opaque.

The only point of agreement between the two sides is that Senate Bill 331 by Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, responds to a small but growing movement among local governments to adopt ordinances that reveal the details of labor negotiations normally kept under wraps.

The movement, known as Civic Openness in Negotiations, or COIN, sets labor-negotiation disclosure standards that vary from relatively minor to comprehensive. The most sweeping, such as that adopted by Orange County last year, require an outside negotiator to represent the governing body plus a full analysis and extended public disclosure of specific contract proposals before any negotiated agreement is approved by elected officials.

Under COIN, if a union’s opening position is a 10 percent raise for members and an employer counters with a 10 percent pay cut, both proposals would be made public. Currently, neither side is obligated to disclose intimate bargaining-table details. The public becomes aware of the outcome of talks when the two sides reach an agreement, usually shortly before it goes to a board or council vote. COIN requires that proposals and counterproposals be made public.

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[Source]: Sacramento Bee