Podcasts – Labor Relations Information System

LRIS recently lost a member of our extended family. Arbitrator Dave Gaba, a frequent LRIS seminar speaker and co-author of the book Interest Arbitration passed away last month. We extend our sincerest condolences to Dave’s family and friends. Rick Poulson interviewed Arbitrator Michael Loconto for this month’s podcast. Michael was Dave’s friend and mentee. He and Rick talk about...

Will Aitchison is on the other side of the microphone in this month’s podcast as Rick Poulson interviews him about his career in public safety labor relations. They discuss how long Will has been practicing, how he got into labor law, when and why he started LRIS, and why have seminars for both management and labor. Will also talks about the important of honesty, preparation, and cultivating...

Rick Poulson interviews attorney Lance LoRusso, founder of the Blue Line Institute. They discuss Lance’s background as a sworn police officer and a police attorney, as well as the current challenges facing police officers and their advocates. This month’s cases: Court Reverses Decision Granting Retired Firefighters Retroactive Pension Adjustments, Stiegler v. City of Meriden, 348 Conn....

Welcome Rick Poulson to the LRIS First Thursday Podcast! April’s First Thursday podcast is a special two-person affair as LRIS Executive Director, Rick Poulson, joins Will as cohost. Rick talks about his background, how he became a labor attorney, and helps Will break down this months cases. Cases: Burden Of Proof Is On Employer To Prove No Materials From Compelled Statement Used In Criminal...

State of California rewrites its Racial and Identity Profiling Act, Letter to Rob Bonta, Attorney General for California (2024) ‘Marsy’s Law’ Does Not Shield Crime Victims’ Names From Disclosure, City of Tallahassee v. Florida PBA , 2023 WL 8264181 (Fla. 2023). Female Firefighter Applicant Unsuccessfully Challenges Physical Test As Discriminatory, Erdman v. City of Madison , No. 22-2433, 2024 WL 2...

Good news on the economy and inflation The Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data From The Washington Post: Falling inflation, rising growth give U.S. the world’s best recovery This month’s cases Wisconsin Municipalities Required To Offer Health Insurance And Bargain Over Contributions, Wisconsin Professional Police Association v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission , Case Number 22CV1674...

The recurring attack on binding disciplinary arbitration. Will Aitchison covers a study from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy entitled “How To Improve Policing Through Collective Bargaining Reforms.” He covers its fatal flaw, and why law enforcement unions must be aware of it. View the press release . View the study . Cases: Statements Made To Criminal Investigator Not Protected U...

This month’s cases: Cell Phone Warrant Of Officer’s Phone Too Broad, Commonwealth v. Sukhadia , 2023 WL 7409309 (Penn. Super. 2023). Township Violates Free Speech Rights By Banning Thin Blue Line Flag, Pennsylvania State Lodge v. Township of Springfield , 2023 WL 7547494 (E.D. Penn. 2023). Firefighter’s Union Loses Challenge to Arbitrator’s Opinion, Tamburo v. City of Stamford , 2023 WL 7540...

Current Events The latest development in A.I. and policing : The City of San Jose signs on to use Benchmark Analytics’ First Sign Early Intervention System. How are cities dealing with the recruitment and retention crisis? Cases Consent Decree Does Not Impair Bargaining Rights, City of Newark v. Fraternal Order of Police , 2023 WL 6439402 (NJ App. 2023). Officer’s Brady Suit Can Proceed Pseu...

This month’s cases: Officers Entitled To Privacy About Participation In January 6 Rally, Jane Doe 1 v. Seattle Police Department , 2023 WL 4182193 (Wash. App. 2023). Download this case . Department’s Garrity Failure Results In Reinstatement, Foltz v. City of St. Louis , 2023 WL 5688659 (Mo. App. 2023). When Are Text Messages A Matter Of Public Concern, Prince George’s County v. Brooks , 2023...

The persistence of the recruitment and retention crisis in public safety. Related stories: A California city offered a $75,000 bonus to new cops. These departments are trying to keep up . Some small towns in America are disbanding police forces, citing hiring woes . The Cases: When Is An Employer Liable For Pre- And Post-Shift Work? Perry v. City of New York , 2023 WL 5490572 (2nd Cir. 2023). Offi...

This month’s cases: Florida Court Upholds Termination Of CO For Medical Marijuana Use, Ortiz v. Department of Corrections , 2023 WL 4101330 (Fla. App. 2023). No Weingarten Rights When Merely Receiving Counseling Memo, Madison County Deputy Sheriff’s Association , 56 PERB ¶ 4541 (NY PERB ALJ 2023). No Privacy Right To Masturbate While On Duty, Demill v. Peace Officer Standards and Training Co...

Important cases from the Supreme Court. Groff v. Dejoy Students For Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President And Fellows of Harvard College Muldrow v. City of St. Louis Latest news: NYPD signs new uniformed officers contracts . New EEOC Guidance on When the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Selection Procedures May Be Discriminatory Arbitrator Orders In-Person Rather Than Video Hearing Department of Vet...

This month’s cases: Union, Not Member, Has Right To Invoke Arbitration, Pendleton Police Department , 2023 WL 2858867 (OR ERB 2023). Paid Union Leave Legal In Texas, Borgelt v. Austin Firefighters Association , 2022 WL 17096786 (Tex. App. 2022). Austin Firefighters contract. This and other contracts available for download from the LRIS labor contract library . Political Patronage Case Subjec...

The movie and novel Minority Report introduced the idea of “precrime.” Could AI make this a reality? Benchmark Analytics claims it can predict adverse officer actions before they happen. This month’s cases: Boston Allowed To Implement Vaccination Policy, Boston Firefighters Union, Local 718 v. City of Boston , 2023 WL 2698781 (Mass. 2023). Court Turns Away Challenge To Union&#821...

The first meaningful applications of artificial intelligence in the public safety labor world are happening. What does this bode for the near future? Benchmark Analytics: https://www.benchmarkanalytics.com/ Article: Event-level prediction of urban crime reveals a signature of enforcement bias in US cities from Nature Human Behaviour, published June 30, 2022, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-...

Portland survived Winter Apocalypse 2023! This month’s cases: Firefighter Entitled To Unemployment Benefits After Firing For Use Of Medical Marijuana, City of Waterbury , 216 Conn. App. 717 (2022). No Privacy Interest In On-Line Videos, Mason v. City of Waco , 2023 WL 1926984 (W.D. Tex. 2023). Behind The Blue Curtain Podcast Officer’s Facebook Lawsuit Survives Motion To Dismiss, Bresnahan v....

In this month’s podcast: Article: Evidence On Measures To Reduce Excessive Use Of Force By The Police (h/t to PORAC). Firefighter Schedule Change Illegal Discrimination, IAFF, Local 365 v. City of East Chicago , 2022 WL 17829283 (7th Cir. 2022). Sergeant Has Privacy Interest In Dropbox Account Created With Employer’s Email, State v. Bowers , 2022 WL 17984985 (Wisc. App. 2022). Workers Comp L...

It’s a new year and the times, they are a-changin’ here at LRIS. In this month’s podcast: An announcement from Will Aitchison. No Religious Freedom Exception To Photographs In Uniform, Swartz v. Sylvester , 2022 WL 17090374 (1st Cir. 2022). City To Pay $1.6 Million For Firefighter Staffing Violation, East Cleveland IAFF 500 v. City of East Cleveland , 2022 WL 16635231 (Ohio App....

This month’s cases: Not Unconstitutional To Bar Recording IA Interviews, Hils v. Davis , 2022 WL 16731082 (6 th Cir. 2022). Firefighter Loses Free Speech Lawsuit Over Voicemail, Millspaugh v. Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services , 2022 WL 17101337 (11 th Cir. 2022). Unsubstantiated Rumors Do Not Start Bill Of Rights Statute Of Limitations, Shouse v. County of Riverside , 2022 WL 16646827...

Cases: The City of Oklahoma City and Devin Frazier decision , City of Oklahoma City , FMCS Case No. 210710-08292 (Rubinett 2022). Ex Parte Advice From Decisionmaker’s Wife Violates Due Process, Johnson v. Department of the Air Force , 2022 WL 4456279 (Fed. Cir. 2022). Court Allows Employer To Seize Corrections Officer’s Guns, Anderson v. Molina , 2022 WL 14890243 (S.D.N.Y. 2022). Reasonable Accomm...

What’s going on with the Consumer Price Index? Cases: Waiver Of Bargaining Rights Need Not Be In Writing, Portland Fire Fighters’ Association , 321 Or. App. 569 (2022). Vice-President’s Knowledge Can Waive Union’s Right To Bargain, Syracuse Firefighters Association , 55 PERB ¶ 4551 (NY PERB ALJ 2022). Corrections Officers Lack Standing To Challenge Sick Leave Confinement Policy, Castro v. Dart , N...

Policing and police staffing in Portland, Oregon. Article: The Injustice Of Under-Policing In America First Federal Appeals Court Plain View Project Case, Hernandez v. City of Phoenix , 2022 WL 3132422 (9th Cir. 2022). Phoenix And Plain View Project In State Court, McMichael-Gombar v. Phoenix Civil Service Board , 73 Arizona Cases Digest 4 (Az. App. 2022). Iowa’s New Brady Statute Grants Protectio...

In this month’s podcast: Religious speech implications of the Supreme Court’s Kennedy decision. Confederate Flag Costs Sergeant Her Job, Cotriss v. City of Roswell , 2022 WL 2345729 (11 th Cir. 2022). Garrity Offers No Protection For Dishonesty, Delaware v. MacColl , 2022 WL 2388397 (Del. Super. 2022). No Due Process Right To Promotion From Expired List, Cummings v. City of Bridgeport...

How does the Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District affect public safety employees and employers? Mentioned in this discussion: Garcetti v. Ceballos Other cases discussed: New Disciplinary Matrix And Procedures Are Negotiable, City of Newark , 2022 WL 2168226 (N.J. PERC 2022). No DFR Breach When Fire Union Balances Competing Priorities Of Members, Gault v. Portland Firefigh...