Public Sector Employee Benefit Obligations Avoided with Chapter 9 Bankruptcy

I have previously written about the threat of unfunded public sector pension obligations.  Since then, several municipalities are reported to be using or contemplating use of Chapter 9 bankruptcy.  See Mark Curriden, "The Next Chapter,"  ABA Journal, Nov. 2011.  In doing so, many of these municipalities cite employee pension and retiree health care obligations as the cause or source of their financial woes.   

An Appropriate Bargaining Unit of Community College Instructors

In a recent case, San Juan College v. San Juan College Labor Management Relations Board, 2011-NMCA-117, the New Mexico Court of Appeals has finally had the opportunity to review what is an "appropriate bargaining unit" under the New Mexico Public Employee Bargaining Act (PEBA)  and the San Juan College Labor Management Relations Resolution (Local Resolution).