The Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) governs the labor-management relations in California local government, including cities, counties, and most special districts.
The MMBA provides that the governing body of a public agency shall meet and confer in good faith regarding wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment with representatives of recognized employee organizations (i.e. unions or bargaining units). The MMBA defines meeting and conferring in good faith as having the mutual obligation to personally meet and confer promptly upon request by either party and continue for a reasonable period of time in order to exchange freely information, opinions, and proposals and to endeavor to reach agreement on matters within the scope of representation.
The scope of representation includes all matters related to employment conditions and employer-employee relations, including, but not limited to, wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment, except, however, that the scope of representation shall not include consideration of the merits, necessity, or organization of any service or activity provided by law or executive order.