What happens when contract negotiations remain unresolved?
A. Under the Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act (“HEERA”), the state law that governs the UC’s labor contracts, when the university and a union are unable to reach agreement at the bargaining table, either party may declare that an impasse has occurred. The state then reviews the matter and decides whether or not to confirm the impasse. If impasse is confirmed, both parties must abide by certain procedures designed to resolve the impasse. Those procedures begin with mediation by a neutral state mediator. If that doesn’t bring about a settlement, the state then appoints a neutral fact-finding panel, which issues a report with recommendations to guide the parties to a possible solution. Unless the parties agree to a longer period, the panel must submit its report privately to the parties within 30 days after the panel’s appointment. Within 10 days after that, the panel may choose, but is not required, to make its report public. After the fact-finder’s report is provided to
