Safety and Staffing Included In Oregon Collective Bargaining

May 18, 2007 – Strong lobbying by the Oregon State Fire Fighters Council (OSFFC) has paid off. Beginning in January 2008, fire fighters will be able to negotiate for increased safety and staffing measures. Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed a bill into law granting fire fighters, police and corrections officers this right.

“This has been a top priority for us for some time,” says Kelly Bach, president of OSFFC. “Currently, these issues are permissible topics, but employers are not required to discuss them. This new law changes that. Now, we will be able to address inadequate staffing as it relates to safety during contract negotiations.”

Before 1995, state collective bargaining negotiations included safety and staffing issues for fire fighters, police officers and correctional institution and mental health hospital guards. In 1995, the law was changed to make such discussions voluntary rather than mandatory. Senate Bill 400 makes it possible for the topics of safety and staffing levels to be mandatory parts of collective bargaining negotiations again.

“Because safety and staffing are crucial to what we do, we worked very hard to get this passed,” says Bach. “At one point, we had 300 fire fighters sitting in the seats of the legislature to show our dedication to this measure. Getting this passed was an important step toward ensuring fire fighter safety in Oregon.”

While the legislation does open up opportunity for discussions, it does not guarantee the outcome.