Massachusetts Probation Ass'n v. Commissioner of Administration

On March 3, 1976, the plaintiff filed an amended petition 2 for declaratory judgment (G. L. c. 231A) in the Supreme Judicial Court for the county of Suffolk asking the court to determine whether probation officers are “public employees” 3 within the meaning of the recently enacted public employee collective bargaining statute (G. L. c. 150E, inserted by St. 1973, c. 1078, § 2). Further, if it is found that probation officers are covered under c. 150E, thereby entitling them to collective bargaining rights, the plaintiff seeks a determination as to who is the “public employer” 4 of these…