Would remove from the City Charter the existing procedures for resolving disputes during contract negotiations with public safety unions through impartial mediation and would instead require all disputes or controversies, pertaining to wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment to be submitted for binding arbitration to a “Board of Arbitrators” whose decision would be final and binding.
Fiscal Impact: Fiscal impact is unclear.
Pro:
Supporters argue that Measure N amends the City Charter to replace a cumbersome, political, and flawed contracting process with "impartial and binding arbitration" (source: Official Ballot Statement). Under this commonsense approach, an expert panel will settle disputes in a system that's been tried, tested, and proven to streamline fair resolution, promote police and fire recruitment and retention, and protect the public. Here's why that's so important:
One of California's most dangerous cities: with a crime rate nearly 230% the national average for violent crimes, Stockton police officers face considerably higher danger than surrounding areas with fire crews frequently beyond capacity. In conditions like these, full staffing is mission critical.
The time is now, the need is urgent: as recently as 2023, ABC news reported that 120 police positions were vacant. Similarly, while fire calls have increased by 33%, the department's daily headcount is 22% less than in 2001. Clearly, it's time for decisive action to increase staffing.
A YES vote on this measure means you are in favor of amending the City Charter with new procedures for resolving disputes during contract negotiations with public safety unions.
Con:
Opponents argue that Measure N Would require submission of all contract disputes with public safety unions to binding arbitration instead of utilizing the current mediation process that has served the City and its public safety workers well.Binding arbitration has proposed in this measure is uncommon and undesirable. Only 15, fewer than 4% of California's 483 cities, have implemented binding arbitration.
The City prizes its expert public safety workers. It pays some of the highest salaries of any City worker with 74% of the general fund devoted to their compensation. Over the past 10 years, the City has cumulatively increased compensation for public safety personnel by 121%. In 2023, 79 of the 100 highest paid Stockton employees were public safety personnel.
If measure N passes, an unaccountable Arbitration Board will decide how much of the City budget must be allocated to public safety workers' salaries. You, the voters, must ensure that the Stockton City Council Transparently, fairly, and equitably determines the City Budget, balancing needs for essential public safety along with other critical assets and needs like parks, libraries, streets, community centers, and public services.
A NO vote on this measure means you want to keep the current City Charter existing procedures for resolving disputes during contract negotiations with public safety unions.
The measure would remove Charter Article XVI, Section 1607, “Impartial Mediation for Employee Disputes” and replace it with Article XXVIII, Section 2801, “Impartial and Binding Arbitration for Sworn Police and Fire Department Employee Disputes.”
The measure would recognize the prohibition against strikes by sworn police officers and firefighters and provide for automatic dismissal without the possibility of reinstatement for engaging in a strike. The measure would obligate both sworn police officers and firefighters to negotiate in good faith on all matters related to the terms and conditions of employment including the establishment of grievance procedures.
The measure would remove existing impasse resolution procedures requiring impartial mediation through the California State Mediation and Conciliation, another mutually agreeable organization, private mediation, or other impasse resolution process acceptable to both parties.
The measure would establish impasse resolution procedures for all terms and conditions of employment over which a three-member Board of Arbitrators would preside. The three-member Board of Arbitrators would consist of one arbitrator chosen by the City, one by the police and fire organizations, and one by agreement of both parties.
The measure would impose requirements on the arbitration process including governance by the California Code of Civil Procedure, hearings, evidence, and the adoption of other procedures designed to encourage an agreement, expedite the hearing process, or reduce the cost of arbitration.
The measure would allow parties to submit a last offer of settlement for unresolved issues if no agreement is reached prior to the end of the arbitration process. The Arbitration Board would, by majority vote, select which final offer to impose based on specified criteria and comparisons to other entities, the decision is binding after 10 days.
The measure would allow the parties to meet and resolve differences by mutual agreement and amend or modify the Arbitration Board’s decision within the 10 days prior to it becoming final.
The measure would require the expense of the arbitration proceeding to be borne equally by the parties and require consistency with the rest of the Charter but give the provisions of the measure precedence over conflicting Municipal Code or other City ordinances.
The measure would also provide a method for determining the priority of conflicting or alternative measures on the same ballot, including the effect, execution, and harmonization where possible.
The measure would require consistency with all state and federal laws, rules, and regulations and includes a severability provision that allows invalid portions to be either separated from the valid portion or cured where such is possible. The measure would only allow amendments of its terms by a subsequent ballot measure.
Source: Measure N Impartial Analysis