No Shortcut Around Collective Bargaining Agreement.

An arbitrator ruled that a school district exceeded his powers when he ruled the district violated a public employee collective bargaining agreement by reducing the work year of certain classified employees without the consent of the union and the employees. The superior court confirmed the arbitration award, and the school district appealed. The appellate court found the school district had no statutory right to reduce a classified employee’s work year in lieu of a layoff for lack of funds without complying with the collective bargaining agreement, and that mere compliance with Education Code sections 45308 and 45117 does not transform a reduction of hours or work year into a layoff, concluding that “calling the reduction of hours or work year a layoff does not make it one.”  (Anaheim Union High School District v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 3112, AFL-CIO (Cal. App. Fourth Dist., Div. 3; January 3, 2014) 222 Cal.App.4th 887, [166 Cal.Rptr.3d 289].