John Yeary Presents Labor Relations
John Yeary, '95, Director of Labor Relations for the State of Kansas, Department of Administration, spoke on the topic of "Labor Relations" at the February 18, 2010 Lunch and Learn, which was sponsored by the Business and Transactional Law Center.
His presentation concentrated on application of the Kansas Public Employer - Employee Relations Act (PEERA), which governs interaction between public employees and the government.
Mr. Yeary is routinely involved in "meet and confer" sessions with employee groups. These sessions are mandated by PEERA and are conducted much like a mediation session would be. The sessions provide a forum for discussion of issues important to the employee group. Generally, little conflict is generated because the Department of Administration cannot directly control many of the regulatory or financial requests of the employee group. Some issues are mandatory and must be discussed, while others are permissive and may be discussed. The overarching goal is "development of harmonious and cooperative relationships." Mr. Yeary stated that his legal background, while not a prerequisite, is beneficial in his current position.
Jacob L. Porter contributed to this article. Posted February 18, 2010.
