San Francisco Fire Fighters Local 798 v. City & County of San Francisco

Opinion

MORENO, J.

In this case, we consider a provision of the Charter of the City and County of San Francisco that requires disputes between the City and County of San Francisco (the City) and unions representing firefighters and other public safety officers, after bargaining to impasse, to be submitted to binding arbitration. An exception to this binding arbitration requirement is any rule or policy “necessary to ensure compliance with . . . anti-discrimination laws.” (S.F. Charter, § A8.590-5(g)(3).) We are called on to decide whether a rule changing the method by which applicants are…