BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






          SENATE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT & RETIREMENT     BILL NO: SB 383
          Nell Soto, Chair              Hearing date: April 2, 2001
          SB 383 (Burton) as amended 3/26/01           FISCAL:   NO

           LOCAL BINDING ARBITRATION: PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS - LOS  
          ANGELES COUNTY
           
           HISTORY  :            

              Sponsor: Union of American Physicians and Dentists

              Prior legislation: SB 402 (Burton) 
                              Chapter 906, Statutes of 2000

           
          SUMMARY  : 

          Would provide binding arbitration for physicians and dentists  
          employed by the County of Los Angeles. 


           BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS  : 
           
           Current law provides for the arbitration of disputes between  
          local public employers and firefighters and law enforcement  
          officers.

           This bill  would extend these provisions to physicians and  
          dentists, as defined, who are local public employees of the  
          County of Los Angeles.


           COMMENTS :

          SB 402 (Burton) Chapter 906, Statutes of 2000 established the  
          provisions of local binding arbitration, with respect to  
          economic issues, for firefighters and law enforcement  
          officers, upon which this bill is based. 

          Current law under this bill provides that if an impasse has  
          been declared after the representatives of an employer and  
          firefighters or law enforcement officers have exhausted their  
          mutual efforts to reach agreement over economic issues as  
          defined within the scope of arbitration, and the parties are  
          Clem Meredith                                         SB 383
          Date:  3/27/01                                         Page 1  









          unable to agree to the appointment of a mediator, or if a  
          mediator is unable to effect settlement of a dispute between  
          the parties, the employee organization may request, by  
          written notification to the employer, that their differences  
          be submitted to an arbitration panel. Each party would  
          designate one member of the panel, and those members would  
          designate the chairperson of the panel pursuant to specified  
          procedures.



































          Clem Meredith                                         SB 383
          Date:  3/27/01                                         Page 2  









           Arguments in Support

           According to supporters this provision, combined with a  
          no-strike clause, will be effective in resolving contract  
          disputes with physicians and dentists that might cause  
          disruption of essential healthcare services to the poor and  
          indigent served by county facilities.  Given the key role  
          that physicians play in the Los Angeles County healthcare  
          system, this legislation is clearly in the public interest  
          and will insure continuous and non-interrupted service to the  
          poor, uninsured and indigent patients served by the system.

           Arguments in Opposition

           The bill will result in higher wages and fringe benefits for  
          the highest paid profession in the public sector. Since most  
          local governments devote more than half of their annual  
          budgets to personnel expenses, the amount public employees  
          are paid and the benefits they receive is one of the most  
          important financial decisions elected officials make. If  SB  
          383  is enacted, it will place provisions of a local  
          government's budget in the hands of an appointed arbitrator.


           SUPPORT  :

               California Medical Association (CMA)
               California Nurses Association (CAN)
               California Psychiatric Association
               California Association of Psychiatric Technicians
               California Labor Federation

           OPPOSITION  :

               League of California Cities
               California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
               County of Los Angeles


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          Clem Meredith                                         SB 383
          Date:  3/27/01                                         Page 3