Protecting America's First Responders
The House of Representatives today voted to allow basic collective bargaining rights for public safety officers. Originally offered by Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) in 1995, H.R. 980, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 would grant firefighters, police officers and corrections officer the right to discuss workplace issues with their employers. The bipartisan legislation passed by a vote of 314 - 97.
Congressman Kildee has introduced the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act in prior sessions of Congress, but the Republican majority failed to take action or bring the bill up for consideration. The legislation passed the House today with 280 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle.
"We should not forget that firefighters and police officers risk their lives everyday to protect the public - to protect our families," said Kildee. "Yet there are still states in this country that deny public safety officers the basic right to discuss matters that affect their lives and their livelihoods."
The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 requires each state to provide minimum collective bargaining rights to their public safety employees. The legislation encourages states to implement their own regulations in a manner of their own choosing. H.R. 980 outlines certain provisions that must be included in state laws but relegates major decisions to state and local leaders. A majority of states, such as Michigan, currently have laws in place that satisfy the bill's requirements and would be unaffected.
"The primary function of this bill is to encourage states to decide how best to empower their safety officers," said Kildee. "We have set a minimum standard that assures that states retain the flexibility to implement and enforce as they see fit."
Congressman Kildee's legislation will provide for the first time new rights to firefighters and police officers in several states who do not have the legal right to discuss or negotiate workplace issues. The bill would empower these public safety employees to negotiate fundamental issues with their employers such as hours, wages and workplace conditions. H.R. 980 does not, however, permit strikes by public safety officers, nor does it provide for mandatory binding arbitration.
The Public Safety Employer-Employee Act is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Fraternal Order of Police, International Brotherhood of Police Officers, International Union of Police Organizations, National Association of Police Organizations and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.