2026 California General Election — West Covina ballot measure research
Charter amendment banning strikes by certain LA County public safety employees and establishing impartial binding arbitration for labor disputes.
Binding arbitration outcomes could award higher pay or benefits to sheriff/fire personnel. Those costs would be funded through county revenue, including existing taxes. No new tax is created, but future labor settlements could pressure the budget.
My Vote: No
Why: Unions do not represent the voter majority and are only for the interests of the dues-paying force; binding arbitration removes voter oversight from elected officials.
Question: Are public-safety unions the right party to have equal say in binding arbitration, and does this remove voter oversight?
Answer: Yes, that concern is correct. Measure A removes the final labor-contract decision from elected County Supervisors and places it with an unelected three-person arbitration panel. Public-safety unions represent their dues-paying members, not the general public. The County CEO warned that arbitration awards could force workforce reductions or lower the county's credit rating. A No vote preserves voter accountability through the Board of Supervisors.
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