What the bill does
- The bill would provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by state and local governments.
- The bill would establish a level playing field for public safety employees in all states.
- It would direct the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to determine whether state laws provide specified rights and responsibilities for pubic safety officers including the right to form and join a labor organization which will serve as the exclusive bargaining agent and require employers to recognize and agree to bargain with the labor organization.
- If a state does not allow those rights, the FLRA would issue regulations that would allow for public safety employees to organize and bargain with employers and how to deal with unfair labor practices.
- It prohibits employers from engaging in lockouts and prevents employees from engaging in strikes.
- Existing collective bargaining agents and agreements will not change with the enactment of this legislation.
Status of Legislation
- The bill has been passed as an attachment to a larger bill in the House, and is likely to see action in the Senate before the end of the year (S. 3991).
- The Senate bill has substantial bipartisan support.
- The lead sponsor in the U.S. Senate is Republican Senator Judd Gregg (NH)
- The bill has been delayed repeatedly in the Senate by an anti-union minority.
What we can be done
- The United States Senate Leadership and key Republican Senators need to know that this is a top priority and must act now to pass the legislation.
- Every person that wants to see this legislation enacted into law, must call their Senators daily and urge them to stop the delay and pass legislation that is supported by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in Congress.
