City of Cranston v. Labor Relations Board

**What Happened** The City of Cranston got into a dispute with its employees' union over access to personnel files. The union, acting as the workers' bargaining representative, requested to see an employee's personnel file. However, the city refused to provide the file unless the individual employee gave written permission first. The union argued this violated labor laws requiring employers to negotiate in good faith with unions. **What the Court Decided** The Rhode Island Supreme Court sided with the union and against the city. The court affirmed a Labor Relations Board decision that found the city violated state labor law. The court ruled that by demanding written consent from individual employees before releasing personnel files to their union representatives, the city failed to negotiate in good faith. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling strengthens unions' ability to represent their members effectively. It establishes that employers cannot create unnecessary barriers when unions request personnel files during contract negotiations or grievance procedures. Workers benefit because their union representatives can better advocate for them when they have proper access to relevant employment records without having to get individual written consent each time.