Bargaining Bill Introduced in Senate

October 2, 2007 -- The IAFF’s top legislative priority, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, was introduced in the Senate October 1 with bipartisan support. Led by Senators Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA), 10 Republicans and 11 Democrats joined together as original sponsors of the legislation, S.2123.

The strong showing of bipartisan support was essential to moving the legislation forward, since major legislation requires a supermajority 3/5 vote to pass the Senate. Having 10 Republicans listed as original sponsors is a signal that the legislation has sufficient support to reach the 3/5 threshold and overcome a filibuster.

“This is an important step forward in our decade-long effort to secure bargaining rights for all fire fighters,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “The bipartisan support for this legislation demonstrates that we have friends in Congress who champion bargaining rights for all public employees.”

The next step for the legislation remains unclear. S.2123 was assigned to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (known as the HELP Committee), which is chaired by Senator Kennedy. The Committee could either take up the legislation directly or seek to attach it to some other legislation moving through the process.