Why Gov. Reagan Signed the MMBA

Following yesterday’s post regarding the SEIU monopoly in San Francisco, a reader inquired about the motivations behind Governor Ronald Reagan signing the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act (MMBA) in 1968, which established collective bargaining rights for local government staff and set the table for SEIU’s ascendance.

It’s a good question for AI platforms. As for me, I speculate that Reagan sought a political advantage for Republicans. By granting collective bargaining rights only to local government employees who at that time were primarily police and firefighters who were predominantly Republican, he established a new stream of political funding for GOP candidates. He excluded teachers and state employees—groups more inclined toward the Democratic party—from the rights. But that advantage was short-lived. The next governor, Jerry Brown, signed the Rodda (1975) and Dills (1977) Acts, extending bargaining rights to teachers and state employees, and local governments started hiring more non-public-safety personnel represented today by SEIU.

Another reader asked about the potential of course correction. The Legislature could repeal any of these three Acts with a majority vote and the Governor’s signature.