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Bill Protecting Public Safety Workers Passes House Committee |
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Earlier this month, we reported on a hearing in Congress about a bill to guarantee public safety workers collective bargaining rights. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R. 980) cleared its first hurdle yesterday when it won nearly unanimous approval (42–1) from the House Education and Labor Committee.
Fully 20 states do not protect the collective bargaining rights of public safety employees, and two states—Virginia and North Carolina—prohibit public safety employees from collectively bargaining. The bill covers firefighters, police officers and emergency medical service workers. As Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the committee chairman, says:
The brave men and women who risk their lives each day and serve as our first line of defense against medical emergencies, criminals, natural disasters and terrorist attacks deserve the right to bargain with their employers.
The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), says:
Our firefighters and police officers put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe. Unfortunately, some states in this country deny our public safety employees the basic right to discuss workplace issues with their employers—a right many Americans take for granted. My bill would grant these brave men and women this right. We owe it to them.
The bill would provide basic labor protections for state and local public safety workers, including:
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The right to join a union;
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The right to have their union recognized by their employer;
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The right to bargain collectively over hours, wages and terms and conditions of employment;
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A mediation or arbitration process for resolving an impasse in negotiations; and
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Enforcement of the bill’s provisions through the courts.
The next steps include a vote by the full House and the expected introduction of a bipartisan Senate bill. Says Fire Fighters (IAFF) President Harold Schaitberger:
This is truly historic. We have been fighting for collective bargaining rights for fire fighters for more than half a century and are finally on the verge of getting the vote we rightfully deserve.
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Go to http://walbergwatch.blogspot.com/2007/06/walberg-anti-labor.html to read about the only one to vote no on this important piece of legislation.