ALRB counsel reports Olive Hill scheduling extension; board updates status of three bills

Chief Board Counsel Laura Haidt told the Agricultural Labor Relations Board on Aug. 29 that parties in the Olive Hill litigation stipulated to a short extension of deadlines and the hearing date. "Under the new schedule, the plaintiff's and intervener plaintiff's motion opposition to our motion to dismiss are due, September 8. Reply is gonna be due September 29, and the hearing is pushed out now to October 20," Haidt said.

On the legislative front, a board member reported the agency was tracking three bills in the final week of the session. AB 845 would require coordination among labor enforcement agencies, including the ALRB, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Labor Commissioner) and Cal/OSHA, and the bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file with clarifying amendments. AB 1109, which would have created a union business-agent privilege similar to attorney'client privilege, did not pass the suspense file and is not moving this year. AB 288, which would permit the Public Employment Relations Board to enforce private-sector rights in certain hypothetical circumstances, passed Appropriations with amendments; the labor agency is negotiating further clarifying amendments and the status of bills will be known by Sept. 16.

Ending: Haidt and board staff said they will continue to monitor the Olive Hill litigation schedule and legislative developments and report back to the board as needed.