ERB Administrative Law Judge Finds Multnomah County Committed Unfair Labor Practice

An administrative law judge for the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB) this week issued a decision against Multnomah County. The County had been charged with committing numerous unfair labor practice’s as part of its transfer of the Close Street supervised release program from the Multnomah County Corrections Deputies Association (MCCDA) bargaining unit. That program is widely recognized as a model for post-release intensive supervision of inmates. The judge found that the County failed to notify the union of the change, failed to bargain over the decision and impact, and failed to provide information to the union. As a result, the County may owe over a million dollars in lost overtime to the bargaining unit as a whole and will have to return the program to the bargaining unit. The County has filed objections to this recommended order and it will be heard by the entire Board this fall. BHMK Attorney Thomas Doyle represents the Association in this matter.