County supervisors are slated to vote Tuesday on opening up labor talks to the public.
Under the Civic Openness in Negotiations ordinance, also known as COIN, county supervisors would be required to publicly report any offers and counteroffers discussed in closed session. Supervisors and their staff would also have to report any communication with employee representatives.
When a labor contract is proposed, the county Auditor-Controller would estimate the financial impact of its terms as well as the current contract’s terms, which would then be open to comment from labor groups and the public.
And a proposed labor contract, known as memorandums of understanding, would be posted to the county website at least seven days before it appears on the supervisors’ agenda.
The effort, led by County Supervisor John Moorlach, has drawn intense protests from union leaders who argue transparency in negotiations shouldn’t just be reserved for labor talks but should apply to all government contracting — including multi-million dollar computer contracts, development deals and land purchases.
The supervisors meeting starts Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
You can reach Nick Gerda at ngerda@gmail.com, and follow him on Twitter: @nicholasgerda.