Agency:
The Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB) is the adjudicatory body within the DLR responsible for reviewing orders and issuing decisions under M.G.L. c. 150E and M.G.L. c. 150A. The CERB is comprised of one full-time chair and two per diem Board members, who are appointed by the governor for staggered five year terms. The duties and qualifications of CERB members are set forth in M.G.L. c. 23, §§9R (a)-(c).

Mission Statement:
As set forth in M.G.L. c. 23, §9O:

It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the commonwealth that the best interests of the people of the state are served by the prevention or prompt settlement of labor disputes; and it shall be the responsibility and objective of the division to take such steps as will most effectively and expeditiously encourage the parties to a labor dispute to agree on the terms of a settlement or to agree on the method and procedures which shall be used to resolve a dispute.

It is recognized that that a constructive and harmonious long-term collective bargaining relationship is the most positive way to avoid labor disputes and, such a relationship can be effectively developed in the public sector through the use of joint labor management committees.

Publications:
All final Board decisions are written and are published for the benefit of the public and the labor community in the Massachusetts Labor Cases, a private reporter service. The Board’s decisions also are available by Internet subscription through the Social Law Library.