Taylor Law
The Public Employees Fair Employment Act, more commonly known as the Taylor Law, is Article 14 of the state Civil Service Law (of the Consolidated Laws), which defines the rights and limitations of unions for public employees in New York. The Public Employees Fair Employment Act (the Taylor Law) is a New York State statute, named after labor researcher George W. Taylor. It authorizes a governor-appointed State Public Employment Relations Board to resolve contract disputes for public employees while curtailing their right to strike. The law provides for mediation and binding arbitration to give voice to unions, but work stoppages are made punishable with fines and jail time. The United Federation of Teachers and the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association challenged the Taylor Law at its inception in 1967. Following a 2005 strike, Transit Workers’ president Roger Toussaint was incarcerated for three days under a Taylor Law ruling. Details The Taylor Law grants public employees the right to organize and elect their union representatives. It defines the boundaries for public employers in negotiating and entering into agreements with public unions. The law also defines the terms for the foundation of the Public Employment Relations Board, a state agency that administers the law