MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Collective Bargaining

New Court Case About Mandatory Subjects of Collective Bargaining

December 16, 2019 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Collective Bargaining

A recent ruling by the Washington Court of Appeals, Division I, looks at whether shift staffing may be considered a mandatory or permissive subject of collective bargaining.

New Laws Address Collective Bargaining

September 21, 2018 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Collective Bargaining , New Legislation and Regulations

This blog post gives an overview of four new laws passed by the 2018 Washington State Legislature regarding public employers.

The Janus SCOTUS Decision: More Questions Than Answers

July 19, 2018 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Collective Bargaining

MRSC Legal Consultant Linda Gallagher looks at the recent US Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME and provides some advice to local govenments in Washington State to ensure they are operating in compliance with the new requirements.

A Review of Labor Contracts, the Labor Negotiations Process, and Costing Issues

March 31, 2014 by Cabot Dow
Category: HR Advisor , Collective Bargaining

This post discusses a framework for reviewing existing labor contract issues and provisions, guidelines for nagivating the negotiation process, and resources for costing out labor contract provisions.

What's Important Now?

September 1, 2013 by Cabot Dow
Category: HR Advisor , Collective Bargaining

A simple but powerful acronym that comes from the well-known and entertaining football coach and ESPN commentator Lou Holtz is W.I.N. In the gospel according to Lou Holtz, it stands for 'What's Important Now?'

What Happened to Comparability?

December 1, 2012 by HR Advisor
Category: HR Advisor , Collective Bargaining

Comparisons of compensation for like jobs is a criterion of fundamental importance in labor negotiations, mediation and interest arbitration. Why? Because all parties at interest derive benefit from them and the public is likely to support the outcome.

Gain Sharing Strategy

May 1, 2012 by Cabot Dow
Category: HR Advisor , Collective Bargaining

As economic and political change happens, sharing the challenge of dividing up a smaller pie in good faith, while adhering to carefully weighed guiding principles, leads to more mutually beneficial outcomes, going forward. This column will address in more detail four subtopics...