There were no further negotiations sessions on the 1976-1977
contract, nor any requests for negotiations, after the April 29
mediation session until July 6, 1976, when a prohibited practice
hearing was scheduled pursuant to the Union's complaint. At that
time, the parties reached what they thought to be a tentative agree-
ment on the contract, when the Union agreed to accept the City's
final offer on all of the outstanding issues.
A few days later, the parties met to put together the contract.
At that time, a dispute arose as to whether the 7 percent wage
increase would be based upon the old job classification system or
the new system. There was also disagreement on how the 7 percent
increase would apply to employees of the City's engineering depart-
ment (who would move from a 37 1/2 hour, six day week to a 40 hour,
five day week, in accordance with the parties prior agreement), and
on what would be the effective date of the new vacation schedule.
The City understood the tentative agreement to include a 7 percent
wage increase based on the new job classifications, a 7 percent
increase over 37 hours for employees of the engineering department,
and a January 1, 1977 effective date on the vacation schedule. The
Union's perception of the agreement was a 7 percent wage increase
based on the old job classifications, a 7 percent increase based
on the new 40 hour week for engineering department employees, and
an effective date of July 1, 1976 for the new vacation schedule.
Thereafter, the Union ratified the contract based upon their
understanding of the three areas mentioned above, and submitted it
to the City for approval. On September 7, 1976, the City Council
rejected the contract because of the "changes" in the contract rati-
fied by the Union. Thereafter on September 27, 1976, the instant
complaints were filed.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
The Union alleges that the conduct of the City, in rejecting
the tentative contract agreement after it had been ratified by the
Union, and in making unilateral changes in the employees' pay and
