T.S. v. HEART OF CARDON, LLC

**Court Rules on Who Can Make Union Deals for County Workers** This case involved a dispute over whether a union agreement was valid. The union had negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding with the Recorder of Deeds office, but questions arose about whether this person had the legal authority to make binding agreements with workers. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided that the Recorder of Deeds was not considered a "public employer" under state labor law and therefore could not negotiate valid union contracts. The court ruled that only County Commissioners have the authority to negotiate collective bargaining agreements for county employees. This meant the union agreement was not legally binding. This ruling matters for workers because it clarifies who has the power to negotiate employment contracts in county government. Workers need to ensure they're negotiating with the right officials who actually have authority to make binding promises about wages, benefits, and working conditions. If workers make agreements with the wrong person, those deals might not be enforceable later. County employees should work through proper channels and make sure any union negotiations involve officials who have the legal power to commit the county to the terms.