Fire Fighters Union, Local 1186 v. City of Vallejo

Opinion

TOBRINER, J.

In this case of first impression we must delineate the function of the court in interpreting a provision for arbitration in a city charter affecting public employees. Specifically we are asked, prior to the arbitration proceeding itself, to reconcile clauses which substantively overlap: a provision that grants city employees the right to bargain on “wages, hours and working conditions” but withholds that right as to matters involving the “merits, necessity or organization of any governmental service.” As we shall explain, our attempt now to define the issues of arbitration…