Public Employment Relations Bd. v. Stohr

Decision Date30 May 1979
Docket Number61747,Nos. 61746,s. 61746
Citation279 N.W.2d 286
Parties102 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2780 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BOARD, an Agency of the State of Iowa, Plaintiff, v. Honorable R. K. STOHR, a Judge of the District Court of the State of Iowa, in and for Muscatine County, Defendant. MUSCATINE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, Robert F. Kaufmann, William D. McKillip, Everett J. Rife, Jr., and Adrian M. Wilson, Appellees, v. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS BOARD, an Agency of the State of Iowa, Appellant.
CourtIowa Supreme Court

Thomas J. Miller, Atty. Gen., Carlton G. Salmons, Asst. Atty. Gen., and Nancy D. Powers, P.E.R.B., Des Moines, for appellant.

Patrick J. Madden of Stanley, Lande, Coulter & Pearce, Muscatine, for appellees.

Considered by REYNOLDSON, C. J., and REES, HARRIS, McCORMICK, and LARSON, JJ.

REYNOLDSON, Chief Justice.

We permitted this appeal from an interlocutory order which: (1) asserted district court's right to reach the merits of a dismissed declaratory ruling petition, (2) refused to strike parties not appearing before the agency, and (3) refused to dissolve stay of related agency contested case proceedings. We reverse and remand with directions, and dismiss related petitions for writs of certiorari, prohibition, and supervisory control.

July 1, 1977, Muscatine County and the Chauffeurs, Teamsters & Helpers, Local Union No. 238 (Teamsters) executed a written stipulation declaring they were, respectively, a public employer and an employee organization within applicable provisions of the Public Employment Relations Act, and designating certain employees of the county secondary road department as an appropriate unit for purposes of collective bargaining. This stipulation was filed with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). By order filed August 8, 1977, PERB confirmed the stipulation and noted no objections had been filed. It found the county to be "a public employer within the meaning of section (20.)3(1) of the Act," the Teamsters to be "an employee organization within the meaning of section (20.)3(4) of the Act," and ordered an election to be conducted "under the supervision and direction of (PERB), at a time and place to be determined by the Board."

When this order was entered the right of an employee organization to represent the public employees in an appropriate bargaining unit arguably was determined by a majority of the employees Eligible to vote. Compare § 20.15(2) With (3). But by an amendment effective August 15, 1977 before the election could be held § 20.15 was changed to allow the issue to be controlled by a "majority of the public employees voting." 1977 Session, 67th G.A., ch. 41, § 2. August 10, 1977, PERB, allegedly without public participation, published amended rule 5.4(1)(a), effective August 15, to conform its rules to the amended statute. See 660 I.A.C. § 5.4(1)(a).

Twenty-eight employees were in this bargaining unit. At the September 1 election they voted fourteen to thirteen, one not voting, to be represented by the Teamsters. Under the prior law the Teamsters would not have obtained the majority of those eligible to vote. September 19, 1977, PERB certified the Teamsters as the exclusive bargaining representative for these employees.

On October 25 and pursuant to section 17A.9, The Code, the county petitioned PERB for declaratory ruling. The county asserted PERB's certification was contrary to law because: (1) amended rule 5.4(1)(a) was adopted without notice or public participation, (2) it should not have been applied to this election, and (3) the Teamsters did not exist "for the primary purpose of representing public employees in their employment relations" as required by section 20.3(4). The county requested PERB to declare that a majority of eligible voters rather than a majority of those voting was required to certify the Teamsters, that such a majority was not obtained, that the Teamsters is not an "employee organization" under section 20.3(4), and "that the Teamsters Union is not the exclusive bargaining representative for the bargaining unit covered by the election."

On November 21 and pursuant to section 20.11, Teamsters filed a prohibited practice complaint with PERB, alleging the county had willfully refused to bargain with it on behalf of the above bargaining unit.

November 23 PERB dismissed the county's petition for declaratory ruling without considering the merits, because it violated the agency's policy for such proceedings by requesting specific relief: revocation of Teamsters' certification as this unit's exclusive bargaining representative.

On December 16 and pursuant to section 17A.19, the county and four county landowners and taxpayers filed in Muscatine District Court a petition for judicial review of PERB's dismissal order. The petition alleged PERB's order "constitute(d) an error of law and (was an) unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious action." See § 17A.19(8)(e), (g). Petitioners sought adjudication of the merits of the issues PERB declined to consider or, alternatively, an order directing the agency to do so. They requested that the prohibited practice proceedings be stayed pending completion of judicial review in district court.

On the same day district court entered an Ex parte order staying the prohibited practice proceedings before PERB. December 20 PERB moved unsuccessfully to dissolve the stay order.

January 24, 1978, PERB filed a motion to strike from the review proceedings names of the individual parties who were not parties before the agency, a motion to strike part of the review petition prayer which requested review of the merits of the declaratory ruling petition, and a second motion to dissolve the stay order. Trial court denied all three motions.

PERB then timely filed in this court petitions for the assorted writs, our number 61746, and an interlocutory appeal application, our number 61747, all of which we consolidated for consideration. We stayed further district court proceedings. Because this controversy may be determined on the 61747 application, we now dismiss PERB's petitions in no. 61746. Appropriately reframed, the issues presented by the interlocutory appeal are set out in the three divisions which follow.

I. Can district court go beyond the propriety of PERB's dismissal and consider the merits of the county's declaratory ruling petition?

Section 17A.9 deals with agency declaratory rulings:

Each agency shall provide by rule for the filing and prompt disposition of petitions for declaratory rulings as to the applicability of any statutory provision, rule or other written statement of law or policy, decision or order of the agency. Rulings disposing of petitions have the same status as agency decisions or orders in contested cases.

PERB has adopted skeletal rules governing declaratory rulings. See 660 I.A.C. §§ 10.1-.6. No one claims the county did not comply with these rules in filing its petition with that agency. PERB declined to issue a ruling because the county sought specific relief. No issue has been raised whether an agency may, under some circumstances, lawfully dispose of a properly filed petition by declining to rule on its merits. See § 17A.19(1) ("(I)f the agency declines to issue such a declaratory ruling after receipt of a petition therefor, any administrative remedy available under section 17A.9 shall be deemed inadequate or exhausted."); Bonfield, The Iowa Administrative Procedure Act: Background, Construction, Applicability, Public Access to Agency Law, The Rulemaking Process, 60 Iowa L.Rev. 731, 816-20 (1975).

Section 17A.19 provides the exclusive means of judicial review of agency action. Richards v. Iowa State Commerce Commission, 270 N.W.2d 616, 619 (Iowa 1978). "Agency action" includes a declaratory ruling or a refusal to issue such a ruling. See § 17A.2(9); Burlington Community School District v. PERB, 268 N.W.2d 517, 521 (Iowa 1978). Cf. Schmitt v. Iowa Department of Social Services, 263 N.W.2d 739, 743 (Iowa 1978) (refusal to adopt rules requested by citizen was reviewable agency action). PERB's refusal to issue a declaratory ruling was final action: All administrative remedies were exhausted. See §§ 17A.15, .19(1).

It follows PERB's dismissal of the county's petition for declaratory ruling is reviewable under the standards furnished by section 17A.19(8). As narrowed by the county's review petition, the inquiry is whether such refusal "constitutes an error of law (or) an unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious action."

PERB does not contest district court's right to apply the above standards in determining whether it was right in refusing to make a declaratory ruling. Its complaint relates to district court's declared intent to decide the issues raised in the declaratory ruling petition filed with the agency.

District court, reviewing agency action, exercises only appellate jurisdiction. Iowa Public Service Co. v. Iowa State Commerce Commission, 263 N.W.2d 766, 768-69 (Iowa 1978). When resolution of a controversy has been delegated to an administrative agency, district court has no Original authority to declare the rights of parties or the applicability of any statute or rule. See Bonfield, Supra, at 806 & n.271. Its power to decide such issues is derived from and is dependent upon its authority to review agency action.

The county seems to suggest district court can reach the merits because PERB has already decided them. To whatever extent the December 16 judicial review petition sought review of agency action incorporated in the August 8 election order and September 19 certification order, it was not timely filed. See §§ 20.13(3) (appeal from order determining bargaining unit governed by prohibited practice appeal provisions), 20.14(6) (appeal from certification governed by prohibited practice appeal provisions), 17A.19 (appeal from contested case decision must be filed within thirty days). By the time the county filed its declaratory...

To continue reading

Request your trial
33 cases
  • Sioux City Police Officers' Ass'n v. City of Sioux City, 91-1779
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Iowa
    • February 17, 1993
    ...(Iowa 1985). Moreover, a district court's role is limited in reviewing agency action under section 17A.9 of our Code. In PERB v. Stohr, 279 N.W.2d 286, 290 (Iowa 1979), we held that the district court's authority allowed a review of PERB's refusal to issue a ruling but did not extend to dec......
  • Loop, Inc. v. Collector of Revenue, 87-C-0621
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Louisiana
    • September 9, 1987
    ...States, 345 F.Supp. 1389 (D.Del.1972); Neumeister v. City Development Board, 291 N.W.2d 11 (Iowa 1980); Public Employment Relations Board v. Stohr, 279 N.W.2d 286 (Iowa 1979); Walton v. McNamara, 408 So.2d 1144 (La.App. 3d Cir.1981); Collector of Revenue v. Murphy Oil Corporation, 351 So.2d......
  • Jackson County Public Hospital v. Public Employment Relations Bd., 62347
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Iowa
    • June 27, 1979
    ...N.W.2d 307, 311 (Iowa 1978). Section 17A.19 governed the filing and course of judicial review in the district court. See PERB v. Stohr, 279 N.W.2d 286, 289 (Iowa 1979). The petition was timely B. The hospital contends that the district court erroneously limited itself, when considering whet......
  • Women Aware v. Reagen, 67743
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Court of Iowa
    • March 16, 1983
    ...ruling was a final action, exhausted petitioners' administrative remedies, and is subject to review. Public Employment Relations Board v. Stohr, 279 N.W.2d 286, 289 (Iowa 1979). The scope of that review is circumscribed by Iowa Code sections 17A.19 and .20. District court exercised appellat......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT