Information of interest to transportation employees

May 29, 1998

California Industrial Welfare Commission

The California Industrial Welfare Commission can change overtime rules to pay workers overtime after forty hours a week instead of after eight hours in a day. In summary of a recent court of appeals decision which was rendered on May 7, 1998, the three-member panel unanimously rejected the arguments of the California AFL-CIO that the IWC exceeded its authority when it rescinded the eight hour overtime rule. The court stated that "The eight hour rule proves to be impossible to rationalize as necessary for public protection, because neither the federal government nor the vast majority of other states had found it necessary for purposes of public protection." The court continued to say that "lawmakers may enact an enforceable law which overrules any action by the IWC, however, we cannot overrule the IWC’s action based upon legislative inaction, in the face of the legislature’s clear delegation of authority to the IWC to enact wage orders on these issues." In summary the court stated "the legislature did not validly enact a law requiring overtime pay to employees after eight hours of work per day that the judiciary may enforce." Th AFL-CIO is considering whether to appeal.

Region Meetings 1998 – Bus Department Agenda

Days One and Two – Presentation on Negotiations by the FMCS

Day Three – Presentation on Duties of Local Officers and Elections under the Constitution

Open Bus Chairpersons Meeting – Legal Counsel – General discussion on all issues in our Locals including current grievances, ADA, Family Leave, Duty to Represent NLRA and any labor related issue those in attendance may wish to address.

Membership I 

Membership I – The new UTU Coach will be at all the region meeting – Toronto, Reno and Houston. The Coach is going to be a very useful tool for our members. It is also being used in organizing campaigns.

If any of our Bus Locals would like to have the Coach on their property for a special event or meeting you are having, please contact Cheryl Sneed at the International. Please look to scheduling the Coach several months in advance for such events.

To all Bus Locals – Please send to the Bus Department news worthy items for printing in the UTU News. We can have more coverage in the news so please send us information as to what is happening in your local.