BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 383
                                                                  Page  1

          SENATE THIRD READING
          SB 383 (Burton)
          As Amended July 5, 2001
          Majority vote 

           SENATE VOTE  :21-14  
           
           PUBLIC EMPLOYEES    5-1                                         
           
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          |Ayes:|Havice, Chan, Firebaugh,  |     |                          |
          |     |Pescetti, Strom-Martin    |     |                          |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
          |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
          |Nays:|Briggs                    |     |                          |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
           SUMMARY  :  Provides binding arbitration for physicians and  
          dentists employed by the County of Los Angeles and includes  
          safety police officers in the County of Los Angeles to the  
          categories of law enforcement officers covered by binding  
          arbitration.

           EXISTING LAW , as enacted by SB 402 (Burton), Chapter 906,  
          Statutes of 2000, provides for binding arbitration of disputes  
          between any local agency employer in California and employee  
          organizations representing its firefighters or law enforcement  
          employees.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown

           COMMENTS  :  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.  Supporters also state,  
          "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."

          Opponents state, "SB 383 unnecessarily replaces the County's  
          Employee Relations Ordinance with a process that may be  
          unilaterally invoked by labor representatives, lessening the  








                                                                  SB 383
                                                                  Page  2

          incentive to reach agreement.  By vesting final decision making  
          authority in an arbitration panel that is unaccountable to the  
          electorate, SB 383 will reduce the County's ability to achieve  
          fair settlements for all employees.  The measure interferes with  
          current negotiations by some physicians who wish to unionize but  
          retain the benefit package available to non-represented  
          employees."
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :  Karon Green / P.E., R. & S.S. / (916)  
          319-3957 


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