CSBLR (Connecticut State
Board of Labor Relations)
General Information
A. MISSION
The State Board of
Labor Relations defines and protects the statutory rights of public sector and
some private sector employees to form, join or assist labor organizations.
It encourages and protects the right of employees and employers to bargain
collectively and remedies certain practices on the part of employers and
employee organizations (unions) that are detrimental to the collective
bargaining process and to the general public.
B. GENERAL JURISDICTION
The State Board of
Labor Relations administers the major portion of four collective bargaining
statutes covering state and municipal employees, public school teachers and
certain administrators and some private sector employees. The statutes
are: (1) The Municipal Employee Relations Act (MERA), Conn. Gen. Stat.
§§7-467 et seq.; (2) The State Employee Relations Act (SERA), Conn. Gen. Stat.
§§5-270 et seq.; (3) The Teacher Negotiation Act (TNA), Conn. Gen. Stat.
§§10-153a et seq.; and (4) The State Labor Relations Act (SLRA), Conn. Gen.
Stat. §§31-101 et seq.
C. STRUCTURE
The Labor
Board is a quasi judicial agency that conducts hearings and issues
decisions. Under the statutes it administers, the Board is empowered to
decide prohibited practice complaints and representation issues. It also
has the power to promulgate regulations, decide scope of bargaining issues, and
issue declaratory rulings.
The Board consists of
three regular members and any number of alternate members.
The regular members are appointed by the Governor for four year
terms coterminous with the Governor. The alternate members
are appointed for one year terms. The members are not
separately designated as “neutral”, “management”, and “labor”
members, unlike the members of the State Board of Mediation and
Arbitration. Hearings are conducted by a panel of three,
although Board regulations allow for two members to constitute a
quorum.
D. STAFF
The Agency is administered by an Agent
who directs a staff of four Assistant Agents and a clerical staff. The
Agent and the Assistant Agents investigate all representation petitions and
complaints; hold informal conferences with the parties regarding these matters;
and attempt to mediate settlements. By this process, most disputed
questions or entire cases are settled. Finally, the Agent makes an initial
determination as to which cases should be presented to the Labor Board either by
issuing a report recommending dismissal or by referring the complaint for a
hearing. The Agent also may issue an Order of Election in disputed cases.
The Board is advised
and represented in all legal matters by the General Counsel and
Assistant General Counsel who are assisted by and clerical
staff.
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