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IAFF LEGISLATIVE FACT SHEET
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
The IAFF strongly supports the Public Safety Employer-Employee
Cooperation Act and encourages Members of Congress to
support of the bill.
BACKGROUND
Fire and police departments benefit immeasurably from productive
partnerships between employers and employees. Studies have shown
that communities promoting such cooperation enjoy more effective and
efficient delivery of emergency services. Such cooperation, however,
is undermined in states that do not provide public safety employees
with the fundamental right to bargain with their employers.
Over the years, Congress has expanded the scope of collective
bargaining laws to protect private sector employees, non-profit
association employees, transportation workers, federal government
employees and, most recently, congressional employees. One of the
few groups of workers not covered by a federal law is state and
local government employees, including public safety officers.
While Congress has historically given states and localities wide
latitude in managing their own employees, the increasing role of the
public safety community in homeland security creates an obligation
for the federal government to ensure that public safety officers
have basic collective bargaining rights.
CURRENT LEGISLATION
U.S. House:
H.R. 980, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act
Sponsors:
Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI)
Representative John Duncan (R-TN)
U.S. Senate:
S. 2123, the Public
Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act
Sponsors: Senator Judd
Gregg (R-NH)
Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Summary:
H.R. 980 and S. 2123 would grant public safety officers collective
bargaining rights in states where they don’t have them already. The bill
would establish minimum standards for state
collective bargaining laws, including:
• the right of public safety officers to bargain over wages, hours
and
working conditions;
• a dispute resolution mechanism, such as fact finding or mediation;
and
• enforcement of contracts through state courts
The legislation expressly prohibits strikes and lockouts; does not
infringe on
right-to-work laws; and does not interfere with existing state laws and collective
bargaining agreements.
Cosponsors H.R. 980
Cosponsors S. 2123
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
On February 12, 2007, H.R. 980 was introduced in the U.S. House
of Representatives and referred to the Committee on Education and
Labor.
On June 5, 2007, the House Committee on Education and Labor’s
Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions held a
hearing on H.R. 980.
On June 20, 2007, the House Committee on Education and Labor approved H.R.
980 by a vote of 42-1.
On July 17, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 980 by
a vote of 314-97. To see how your Representative voted, click here:
Collective Bargaining
Vote
On October 1, 2007, S. 2123 was introduced in the U.S. Senate and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
On December 11, 2007, Senators Harkin (D-IA), Gregg (R-NH), and Kennedy
(D-MA) offered S. 2123 as an amendment (S.A. 3830) to the Farm bill (H.R. 2419).
On December 13, 2007, Senate leaders attempted to bring up the amendment,
S.A. 3830. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) objected and blocked the Senate from considering S.A. 3830.
Senators Harkin, Gregg and Kennedy were forced to withdraw their amendment.
On May 13, 2008, the U.S. Senate voted to consider H.R. 980 by a vote of 69 -
29. To see how your Senator voted, click here:
Motion to Proceed on the Cooperation Act
On May 15, 2008, the U.S. Senate temporarily suspended debate on H.R. 980.
To read more, click here: Collective
Bargaining Bill Delayed
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