Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District Now Under Jurisdiction of the Public Employment Relations Board (SB 957)

On September 2, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 957, which brings Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (“Santa Cruz METRO”) under the Public Employment Relations Board’s (“PERB”) unfair practice jurisdiction. 

Currently, PERB’s jurisdiction does not apply to employees of specified transit agencies, including Santa Cruz METRO. As of January 1, 2023, PERB will have jurisdiction to enforce the Labor Provisions chapter of the Public Utilities Code regarding Santa Cruz METRO, which includes representation questions, good faith bargaining obligations, and allegations regarding discrimination and interference with protected rights.

This bill gives PERB exclusive jurisdiction to make the initial determination of whether an unfair practice charge is justified and, if so, to determine the appropriate remedy necessary. Moving forward, Santa Cruz METRO, unions, and employees must adjudicate complaints of specified labor violations before PERB instead of in the superior court. The bill makes no changes to the existing statutory procedures relating to strike injunction requests.

This bill is part of a continuing trend to bring public transit districts, property-by-property, under PERB’s unfair practice jurisdiction.

For more information regarding SB 957 or other laws impacting the public sector, please contact your labor law counsel.