CA AB288

Expands the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) jurisdiction to cover private sector workers when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) loses authority, is enjoined, or fails to process cases within specified timeframes (6-12 months depending on case stage)

Authorizes PERB to conduct union elections, certify bargaining representatives, decide unfair labor practice cases, and order employers to submit to binding arbitration if collective bargaining stalls for more than 6 months after certification

Establishes civil penalties of $1,000 per worker per violation for employers found to have engaged in a pattern of unfair labor practices, with penalties deposited into a new Public Employment Relations Board Enforcement Fund

Creates a case prioritization system for PERB, with Category 1 priority given to refusal-to-bargain cases involving employers with 500+ employees, followed by other bargaining cases, and cases involving active organizing campaigns

Clarifies that the Agricultural Labor Relations Board has exclusive jurisdiction over its statutory definitions and may follow NLRA precedents but is not obligated to do so when deemed inappropriate