97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB4547

 

Introduced 2/1/2012, by Rep. Brandon W. Phelps

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
5 ILCS 315/14  from Ch. 48, par. 1614
30 ILCS 805/8.36 new

    Amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. Provides that if a public employer obtains a stay of an arbitration panel's order pending judicial review and the final decision of the court is adverse, then all reasonable costs of the proceedings in the reviewing courts including reasonable attorneys' fees, as determined by the court, shall be paid by the public employer. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.


LRB097 16909 JDS 62097 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4547LRB097 16909 JDS 62097 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Public Labor Relations Act is
5amended by changing Section 14 as follows:
 
6    (5 ILCS 315/14)  (from Ch. 48, par. 1614)
7    Sec. 14. Security Employee, Peace Officer and Fire Fighter
8Disputes.
9    (a) In the case of collective bargaining agreements
10involving units of security employees of a public employer,
11Peace Officer Units, or units of fire fighters or paramedics,
12and in the case of disputes under Section 18, unless the
13parties mutually agree to some other time limit, mediation
14shall commence 30 days prior to the expiration date of such
15agreement or at such later time as the mediation services
16chosen under subsection (b) of Section 12 can be provided to
17the parties. In the case of negotiations for an initial
18collective bargaining agreement, mediation shall commence upon
1915 days notice from either party or at such later time as the
20mediation services chosen pursuant to subsection (b) of Section
2112 can be provided to the parties. In mediation under this
22Section, if either party requests the use of mediation services
23from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the other

 

 

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1party shall either join in such request or bear the additional
2cost of mediation services from another source. The mediator
3shall have a duty to keep the Board informed on the progress of
4the mediation. If any dispute has not been resolved within 15
5days after the first meeting of the parties and the mediator,
6or within such other time limit as may be mutually agreed upon
7by the parties, either the exclusive representative or employer
8may request of the other, in writing, arbitration, and shall
9submit a copy of the request to the Board.
10    (b) Within 10 days after such a request for arbitration has
11been made, the employer shall choose a delegate and the
12employees' exclusive representative shall choose a delegate to
13a panel of arbitration as provided in this Section. The
14employer and employees shall forthwith advise the other and the
15Board of their selections.
16    (c) Within 7 days after the request of either party, the
17parties shall request a panel of impartial arbitrators from
18which they shall select the neutral chairman according to the
19procedures provided in this Section. If the parties have agreed
20to a contract that contains a grievance resolution procedure as
21provided in Section 8, the chairman shall be selected using
22their agreed contract procedure unless they mutually agree to
23another procedure. If the parties fail to notify the Board of
24their selection of neutral chairman within 7 days after receipt
25of the list of impartial arbitrators, the Board shall appoint,
26at random, a neutral chairman from the list. In the absence of

 

 

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1an agreed contract procedure for selecting an impartial
2arbitrator, either party may request a panel from the Board.
3Within 7 days of the request of either party, the Board shall
4select from the Public Employees Labor Mediation Roster 7
5persons who are on the labor arbitration panels of either the
6American Arbitration Association or the Federal Mediation and
7Conciliation Service, or who are members of the National
8Academy of Arbitrators, as nominees for impartial arbitrator of
9the arbitration panel. The parties may select an individual on
10the list provided by the Board or any other individual mutually
11agreed upon by the parties. Within 7 days following the receipt
12of the list, the parties shall notify the Board of the person
13they have selected. Unless the parties agree on an alternate
14selection procedure, they shall alternatively strike one name
15from the list provided by the Board until only one name
16remains. A coin toss shall determine which party shall strike
17the first name. If the parties fail to notify the Board in a
18timely manner of their selection for neutral chairman, the
19Board shall appoint a neutral chairman from the Illinois Public
20Employees Mediation/Arbitration Roster.
21    (d) The chairman shall call a hearing to begin within 15
22days and give reasonable notice of the time and place of the
23hearing. The hearing shall be held at the offices of the Board
24or at such other location as the Board deems appropriate. The
25chairman shall preside over the hearing and shall take
26testimony. Any oral or documentary evidence and other data

 

 

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1deemed relevant by the arbitration panel may be received in
2evidence. The proceedings shall be informal. Technical rules of
3evidence shall not apply and the competency of the evidence
4shall not thereby be deemed impaired. A verbatim record of the
5proceedings shall be made and the arbitrator shall arrange for
6the necessary recording service. Transcripts may be ordered at
7the expense of the party ordering them, but the transcripts
8shall not be necessary for a decision by the arbitration panel.
9The expense of the proceedings, including a fee for the
10chairman, established in advance by the Board, shall be borne
11equally by each of the parties to the dispute. The delegates,
12if public officers or employees, shall continue on the payroll
13of the public employer without loss of pay. The hearing
14conducted by the arbitration panel may be adjourned from time
15to time, but unless otherwise agreed by the parties, shall be
16concluded within 30 days of the time of its commencement.
17Majority actions and rulings shall constitute the actions and
18rulings of the arbitration panel. Arbitration proceedings
19under this Section shall not be interrupted or terminated by
20reason of any unfair labor practice charge filed by either
21party at any time.
22    (e) The arbitration panel may administer oaths, require the
23attendance of witnesses, and the production of such books,
24papers, contracts, agreements and documents as may be deemed by
25it material to a just determination of the issues in dispute,
26and for such purpose may issue subpoenas. If any person refuses

 

 

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1to obey a subpoena, or refuses to be sworn or to testify, or if
2any witness, party or attorney is guilty of any contempt while
3in attendance at any hearing, the arbitration panel may, or the
4attorney general if requested shall, invoke the aid of any
5circuit court within the jurisdiction in which the hearing is
6being held, which court shall issue an appropriate order. Any
7failure to obey the order may be punished by the court as
8contempt.
9    (f) At any time before the rendering of an award, the
10chairman of the arbitration panel, if he is of the opinion that
11it would be useful or beneficial to do so, may remand the
12dispute to the parties for further collective bargaining for a
13period not to exceed 2 weeks. If the dispute is remanded for
14further collective bargaining the time provisions of this Act
15shall be extended for a time period equal to that of the
16remand. The chairman of the panel of arbitration shall notify
17the Board of the remand.
18    (g) At or before the conclusion of the hearing held
19pursuant to subsection (d), the arbitration panel shall
20identify the economic issues in dispute, and direct each of the
21parties to submit, within such time limit as the panel shall
22prescribe, to the arbitration panel and to each other its last
23offer of settlement on each economic issue. The determination
24of the arbitration panel as to the issues in dispute and as to
25which of these issues are economic shall be conclusive. The
26arbitration panel, within 30 days after the conclusion of the

 

 

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1hearing, or such further additional periods to which the
2parties may agree, shall make written findings of fact and
3promulgate a written opinion and shall mail or otherwise
4deliver a true copy thereof to the parties and their
5representatives and to the Board. As to each economic issue,
6the arbitration panel shall adopt the last offer of settlement
7which, in the opinion of the arbitration panel, more nearly
8complies with the applicable factors prescribed in subsection
9(h). The findings, opinions and order as to all other issues
10shall be based upon the applicable factors prescribed in
11subsection (h).
12    (h) Where there is no agreement between the parties, or
13where there is an agreement but the parties have begun
14negotiations or discussions looking to a new agreement or
15amendment of the existing agreement, and wage rates or other
16conditions of employment under the proposed new or amended
17agreement are in dispute, the arbitration panel shall base its
18findings, opinions and order upon the following factors, as
19applicable:
20        (1) The lawful authority of the employer.
21        (2) Stipulations of the parties.
22        (3) The interests and welfare of the public and the
23    financial ability of the unit of government to meet those
24    costs.
25        (4) Comparison of the wages, hours and conditions of
26    employment of the employees involved in the arbitration

 

 

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1    proceeding with the wages, hours and conditions of
2    employment of other employees performing similar services
3    and with other employees generally:
4            (A) In public employment in comparable
5        communities.
6            (B) In private employment in comparable
7        communities.
8        (5) The average consumer prices for goods and services,
9    commonly known as the cost of living.
10        (6) The overall compensation presently received by the
11    employees, including direct wage compensation, vacations,
12    holidays and other excused time, insurance and pensions,
13    medical and hospitalization benefits, the continuity and
14    stability of employment and all other benefits received.
15        (7) Changes in any of the foregoing circumstances
16    during the pendency of the arbitration proceedings.
17        (8) Such other factors, not confined to the foregoing,
18    which are normally or traditionally taken into
19    consideration in the determination of wages, hours and
20    conditions of employment through voluntary collective
21    bargaining, mediation, fact-finding, arbitration or
22    otherwise between the parties, in the public service or in
23    private employment.
24    (i) In the case of peace officers, the arbitration decision
25shall be limited to wages, hours, and conditions of employment
26(which may include residency requirements in municipalities

 

 

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1with a population under 1,000,000, but those residency
2requirements shall not allow residency outside of Illinois) and
3shall not include the following: i) residency requirements in
4municipalities with a population of at least 1,000,000; ii) the
5type of equipment, other than uniforms, issued or used; iii)
6manning; iv) the total number of employees employed by the
7department; v) mutual aid and assistance agreements to other
8units of government; and vi) the criterion pursuant to which
9force, including deadly force, can be used; provided, nothing
10herein shall preclude an arbitration decision regarding
11equipment or manning levels if such decision is based on a
12finding that the equipment or manning considerations in a
13specific work assignment involve a serious risk to the safety
14of a peace officer beyond that which is inherent in the normal
15performance of police duties. Limitation of the terms of the
16arbitration decision pursuant to this subsection shall not be
17construed to limit the factors upon which the decision may be
18based, as set forth in subsection (h).
19    In the case of fire fighter, and fire department or fire
20district paramedic matters, the arbitration decision shall be
21limited to wages, hours, and conditions of employment (which
22may include residency requirements in municipalities with a
23population under 1,000,000, but those residency requirements
24shall not allow residency outside of Illinois) and shall not
25include the following matters: i) residency requirements in
26municipalities with a population of at least 1,000,000; ii) the

 

 

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1type of equipment (other than uniforms and fire fighter turnout
2gear) issued or used; iii) the total number of employees
3employed by the department; iv) mutual aid and assistance
4agreements to other units of government; and v) the criterion
5pursuant to which force, including deadly force, can be used;
6provided, however, nothing herein shall preclude an
7arbitration decision regarding equipment levels if such
8decision is based on a finding that the equipment
9considerations in a specific work assignment involve a serious
10risk to the safety of a fire fighter beyond that which is
11inherent in the normal performance of fire fighter duties.
12Limitation of the terms of the arbitration decision pursuant to
13this subsection shall not be construed to limit the facts upon
14which the decision may be based, as set forth in subsection
15(h).
16    The changes to this subsection (i) made by Public Act
1790-385 (relating to residency requirements) do not apply to
18persons who are employed by a combined department that performs
19both police and firefighting services; these persons shall be
20governed by the provisions of this subsection (i) relating to
21peace officers, as they existed before the amendment by Public
22Act 90-385.
23    To preserve historical bargaining rights, this subsection
24shall not apply to any provision of a fire fighter collective
25bargaining agreement in effect and applicable on the effective
26date of this Act; provided, however, nothing herein shall

 

 

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1preclude arbitration with respect to any such provision.
2    (j) Arbitration procedures shall be deemed to be initiated
3by the filing of a letter requesting mediation as required
4under subsection (a) of this Section. The commencement of a new
5municipal fiscal year after the initiation of arbitration
6procedures under this Act, but before the arbitration decision,
7or its enforcement, shall not be deemed to render a dispute
8moot, or to otherwise impair the jurisdiction or authority of
9the arbitration panel or its decision. Increases in rates of
10compensation awarded by the arbitration panel may be effective
11only at the start of the fiscal year next commencing after the
12date of the arbitration award. If a new fiscal year has
13commenced either since the initiation of arbitration
14procedures under this Act or since any mutually agreed
15extension of the statutorily required period of mediation under
16this Act by the parties to the labor dispute causing a delay in
17the initiation of arbitration, the foregoing limitations shall
18be inapplicable, and such awarded increases may be retroactive
19to the commencement of the fiscal year, any other statute or
20charter provisions to the contrary, notwithstanding. At any
21time the parties, by stipulation, may amend or modify an award
22of arbitration.
23    (k) Orders of the arbitration panel shall be reviewable,
24upon appropriate petition by either the public employer or the
25exclusive bargaining representative, by the circuit court for
26the county in which the dispute arose or in which a majority of

 

 

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1the affected employees reside, but only for reasons that the
2arbitration panel was without or exceeded its statutory
3authority; the order is arbitrary, or capricious; or the order
4was procured by fraud, collusion or other similar and unlawful
5means. Such petitions for review must be filed with the
6appropriate circuit court within 90 days following the issuance
7of the arbitration order. The pendency of such proceeding for
8review shall not automatically stay the order of the
9arbitration panel. If a public employer obtains a stay of the
10arbitration panel's order pending judicial review and the final
11decision of the court is adverse, then all reasonable costs of
12the proceedings in the reviewing courts including reasonable
13attorneys' fees, as determined by the court, shall be paid by
14the public employer. The party against whom the final decision
15of any such court shall be adverse, if such court finds such
16appeal or petition to be frivolous, shall pay reasonable
17attorneys' fees and costs to the successful party as determined
18by said court in its discretion. If said court's decision
19affirms the award of money, such award, if retroactive, shall
20bear interest at the rate of 12 percent per annum from the
21effective retroactive date.
22    (l) During the pendency of proceedings before the
23arbitration panel, existing wages, hours, and other conditions
24of employment shall not be changed by action of either party
25without the consent of the other but a party may so consent
26without prejudice to his rights or position under this Act. The

 

 

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1proceedings are deemed to be pending before the arbitration
2panel upon the initiation of arbitration procedures under this
3Act.
4    (m) Security officers of public employers, and Peace
5Officers, Fire Fighters and fire department and fire protection
6district paramedics, covered by this Section may not withhold
7services, nor may public employers lock out or prevent such
8employees from performing services at any time.
9    (n) All of the terms decided upon by the arbitration panel
10shall be included in an agreement to be submitted to the public
11employer's governing body for ratification and adoption by law,
12ordinance or the equivalent appropriate means.
13    The governing body shall review each term decided by the
14arbitration panel. If the governing body fails to reject one or
15more terms of the arbitration panel's decision by a 3/5 vote of
16those duly elected and qualified members of the governing body,
17within 20 days of issuance, or in the case of firefighters
18employed by a state university, at the next regularly scheduled
19meeting of the governing body after issuance, such term or
20terms shall become a part of the collective bargaining
21agreement of the parties. If the governing body affirmatively
22rejects one or more terms of the arbitration panel's decision,
23it must provide reasons for such rejection with respect to each
24term so rejected, within 20 days of such rejection and the
25parties shall return to the arbitration panel for further
26proceedings and issuance of a supplemental decision with

 

 

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1respect to the rejected terms. Any supplemental decision by an
2arbitration panel or other decision maker agreed to by the
3parties shall be submitted to the governing body for
4ratification and adoption in accordance with the procedures and
5voting requirements set forth in this Section. The voting
6requirements of this subsection shall apply to all disputes
7submitted to arbitration pursuant to this Section
8notwithstanding any contrary voting requirements contained in
9any existing collective bargaining agreement between the
10parties.
11    (o) If the governing body of the employer votes to reject
12the panel's decision, the parties shall return to the panel
13within 30 days from the issuance of the reasons for rejection
14for further proceedings and issuance of a supplemental
15decision. All reasonable costs of such supplemental proceeding
16including the exclusive representative's reasonable attorney's
17fees, as established by the Board, shall be paid by the
18employer.
19    (p) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section the
20employer and exclusive representative may agree to submit
21unresolved disputes concerning wages, hours, terms and
22conditions of employment to an alternative form of impasse
23resolution.
24(Source: P.A. 96-813, eff. 10-30-09.)
 
25    Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding

 

 

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1Section 8.36 as follows:
 
2    (30 ILCS 805/8.36 new)
3    Sec. 8.36. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
4of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
5implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of
6the 97th General Assembly.
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.