Structure and Procedures:
The Board consists of three regular members and any number of alternate members. The Governor appoints the regular members for four year terms coterminous with the Governor. The alternate members are appointed for one year terms. The members are not designated as “labor”, “management” and “neutral”. Hearings are conducted by three member panels, although two members constitute a quorum.

The Board staff consists of an Agent, four Assistant Agents, General Counsel, Assistant General Counsel and secretarial employees. The Agent and Assistant Agents “intake” all administrative filings, and investigate unfair labor practice complaints and representation petitions. The Agent has broad authority, including the authority to conduct elections prior to holding a hearing regarding unit objections and to recommend dismissal of unfair labor practice complaints. After the Agent makes a recommendation regarding a complaint, parties have an automatic right of appeal to the Board for a hearing de novo. The Board is advised in all legal matters by the General Counsel and Assistant General Counsel.

Statutes Administered by Board:
The Board administers the following four statutes:

State Labor Relations Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 31-101 et seq.) - This was enacted in 1945, and is modeled after the original Wagner Act with certain differences. It covers private employers who do not meet the jurisdictional requirements of the National Labor Relations Board. The Act creates and defines the Board and its functions.

State Employee Relations Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 5-270 et seq.) - This was enacted in 1975, and was last amended in 1993. Some features of the Act are: requires agency fee payment; provides for mandatory binding arbitration but the arbitration award may be rejected by the legislature and returned to the parties for bargaining; prohibits strikes; excludes elected and appointed officials, board and commission members, and managerial employees as defined in statute.

Municipal Employee Relations Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 7-467 et seq.) - Some features of the act are: covers municipal employees except certified employees of boards of education; prohibits strikes; provides for mandatory binding arbitration; bargaining is conducted by the municipality’s chief executive officer or designee but portions of a collective bargaining agreement must be approved by the legislative body under certain circumstances.

Teacher Negotiation Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 10-153a et seq.) - The Board has jurisdiction only over resolution of prohibited practice complaints of teachers and school boards. Jurisdiction for representation issues lies with the Connecticut Department of Education.