State Emp. Relations Bd. v. Miami Univ.

**Court Rules on Employer's Authority to Stop Union Negotiations** This case involved a dispute between Miami University and the State Employment Relations Board over the university's decision to stop negotiating with its employees' union. The university had been in collective bargaining talks with the union representing its workers, but unilaterally decided to end those negotiations while the union was still the official representative of the employees. The court ruled against Miami University, finding that the employer violated Ohio labor law by terminating bargaining negotiations with the incumbent union. Under Ohio Revised Code 4117.11(A)(5), public employers cannot simply walk away from collective bargaining when a union remains the recognized representative of their workers. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling reinforces that public sector employees have strong protections for their collective bargaining rights. When workers have chosen a union to represent them, their employer cannot unilaterally decide to stop negotiating just because they don't like how talks are going. Employers must continue good-faith bargaining until the union is formally decertified or replaced. This gives workers more security in knowing their chosen representatives will have meaningful opportunities to negotiate on their behalf for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.