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La r relations Cy Smythe Are arbitrato s killing the comparable worth law? Part III The topic of part II of thi eries was relative job value, establish equitable tial employee group should be paid the increasing inclination o cities to (reasonable) compensation relation- exclusively on the basis of market? ' eliminate from their comparab worth ships among all job classifications—use Paying one essential employee group analysis the wage rates of an es ential market rates (if at all) as a secondary on the basis of market while attempting employee group whose wage rate are_ factor;\and implement the equitable to pay all\other employee groups on • based only on the market rates. compensation relationships for employ- the basis Of relative job value is not l; Eliminating the wage rates of an e s not represented by an exclusive reasonable. The decision, therefore, of 1 essential employee group from the representativ under the state labor cities facing this situation by an orbita- city's` city's comparable worth analysis raises relations'act. tion award to delete the essential i- the question of whether such action is If a city has equitable compensation employee group from the city's corn- consistent with the city's obligations relationships with its employee groups, parable worth analysis`�is a logical one l"-' der the state comparable worth law. except an essential employee group so and one which appears\.to be quite At - e comparable worth law defines that compensation for "all\of the non- - on- defensible under the comparable worth -1'4 ', an '`-: itable compensation relation- essential employees is"on`the\basis of law.■ N. ship" as •-- where "a primary consid- relative job value, what should the city i . eration in n-=•tiating, establishing, do if an arbitrator states that the essen- z recommending, : d approving total \ compensation is corn.. able work value I:" in relationship to other -mployee posi- tions within the political bdivision." The definition does not menton "mar- -. Home rule ket" wage rates�\ \_ The comparable\worth law dei es a "reasonable compensation relation- Continued from page 9 consolidation is specifically mentioned ship" as one where the compensation Ramsey county is transferred, altered in the Minnesota constitution. for positions of comparable skill, effort, or impaired by this charter." However responsibility, working conditions, and the draft does give the county respon- Conclusion s: other relevant work related criteria is sibility for coordinating county-wide comparable. Again the definition does service delivery and planning activities. Home rule requires a substantia! t .' . P g , not mention "market" wage rates. It isn't yet clear that the draft dedication to keep the artchartecurTr o : The original comparable worth\law charter provides any advantages that To accomplish this, l mentions market wage once. The mar- statutes of general or special applica- mission must function as a continuing ket wage rates are one of three criteria tion couldn't have provided. However body. Smaller communities or those determining reasonable relationship. it seems unlikely that the Legislature without sufficient citizen interest or The 198endments to the compa- would pass the broad kind of all powers probably wise to procent for ongoing eed under er agare stat 3`• rable worth la diluted the market language. I rates. These ame ments said that a It is too soon to determine whether utory form of government. `t political subdivision's '` lan for imple- the growth of home rule in Minnesota Home rule does provide benefits to 11 menting equitable com nsation for will be in counties rather than in cities. some. communities. As long as our employees. . .need not co ain a mar- If voters adopt the Ramsey County governmental dynamic is toward more this could serve as a model centralized decision making, the role ket study." proposal, From the plain language of the , and incentive for other counties. for home rule will diminish. Asome I I obligation of a Minnesota politic. County-city consolidation is also time when state policy makers perceive of : �. the isubdivision is clear: determine the another potential result of county home a need for more decentralization I value of all job classifications within the rule as shown by the experience of decision making, home rule will take on i subdivision: primarily on the basis of Oregon and some other states. Such a new vitality. ■ r; ` # Minnesota Cities 66... ID