Appellate Court Sides With Unions, Limits MontCo County Exec’s Authority
Friday, March 8, 2013(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
The
Maryland Court
of Special Appeals in Annapolis on Tuesday upheld the Montgomery County Labor
Relations Administrator’s ruling that the Montgomery County Executive
violated
the County Code when he refused to include an interest arbitrator’s award as
part of his budget submission in 2011. The LRA’s award in 2011 favored UFCW
Local 1994 MCGEO and the unions representing the police and professional
firefighters. “This decision is a victory for all of the hard-working Local
1994 members in Montgomery County,” said Local 1994 MCGEO attorney Carey
Butsavage. The decision “affirms some basic principles of democracy,”
added Local 1994 MCGEO President Gino Renne. “The County Executive is not
above
the law and he is not all-powerful…We are thrilled with this ruling and
believe
that it sets the ground rules for future bargaining between our union and the
county, bargaining that should be carried out in the spirit of harmony and
cooperation as the County Code intends.” Click here for a full report on Local 1994’s website. photo:
UFCW 1994
MCGEO member at a recent Prince George's County budget Town Hall; photo by Amy
Millar