Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007

Floor Speech

PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE COOPERATION ACT OF 2007

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Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be sponsor of H.R. 980, along with my good friend from Tennessee, Mr. John Duncan.

H.R. 980 extends to firefighters, police officers, corrections officers and other public safety officers the basic right to discuss workplace issues with their employers. Public safety officers, who risk their lives to protect us, deserve a say in decisions that affect their lives and their livelihood.

We have addressed concerns raised during the hearing held on the legislation in the Education and Labor Committee and strengthened this strongly bipartisan bill. This bipartisanship of this legislation is demonstrated by the 280 cosponsors of this bill and a 42-1 bipartisan vote in favor of this bill during the markup in the Education and Labor Committee.

I would like to thank Chairman Miller, Chairman Andrews and the committee staff for all their support on this important legislation. I wish to also thank Ranking Member McKeon and Ranking Member Kline and their staff for their work with us on this legislation.

I first introduced this legislation more than a decade ago back in 1995. It has been a long journey to today, and this legislation is long overdue for our Nation's public safety employees.

I would also like to thank the groups that we have worked with on this legislation, including, among others, the International Association of Firefighters, the Fraternal Order of Police, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Union of Police Associations and the National Association of Police Organizations.

The absence of the right to collectively bargain denies these public servants the opportunity to influence decisions that affect their work and their family. Our firefighters and police officers risk their lives to keep us safe, yet there are some States in this country that deny them the right to discuss workplace issues with their employers, a right most Americans have. At the very least, they should be allowed to negotiate for wages, hours and safe working conditions.

When I was in the State legislature in Michigan, I helped pass legislation that granted all public employees the right to collectively bargain. In Michigan, this has led to a working environment that effectively protects the public and that both employers and employees are proud of.

H.R. 980 would merely create a minimum standard that States have the flexibility to implement, regulate and enforce as they see fit. Many States, such as my own State of Michigan, have laws in place that go well beyond H.R. 980, and these States would not be affected by this legislation. Additionally, this legislation does not allow strikes or lockouts, and it preserves management rights.

Firefighters and police officers are very serious about their commitment to public safety. They deserve the basic right to sit down with their employers and discuss their work conditions.

The reasonableness of this legislation again is demonstrated by the wide bipartisan support it has from its 280 cosponsors. I urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank Mr. Duncan for his hard work on this bill. He is, as we all know, a study in civility, and civility certainly helps in this House. He also illustrates that we can sit down in a bipartisan way and seek solutions. I thank him for his work on this.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton).

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Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers, but I will say this. First of all, this has been a great example of bipartisanship on an issue that very often has divided us. This has brought us together. I think this is a great historical moment. Democrats and Republicans. It was 42-1 in committee, and I think that is something to be said in this body. I think this illustrates that on an issue that very often divides us, labor issues, when it comes to a specific group of these first responders, we can find a way to resolve that division.

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