National League of Cities 

ACTION ALERT

 MANDATORY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

ISSUE:

The Public Safety Employer – Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 (H.R. 980) is an example of an unfunded mandate that violates federalism principles, interferes with state laws, and may violate the U.S. Constitution. The legislation, if enacted into law, would mandate that city governments bargain with labor unions representing public safety officers.

Specifically, the bill would require that the Federal Labor Relations Authority determine, within 180 days of the Act’s passage, that each state’s labor laws:

1.       grant public safety officers the right to form and join a labor union;

2.       require that public safety employers recognize the employee’s labor union;

3.       provide for bargaining over hours, wages, and the terms and conditions of employment, excluding pensions (in the case of the House bill) and pensions and health insurance (in the case of the draft Senate bill);

4.       provide for an impasse resolution process; and

5.       require that state courts enforce the rights established by H.R. 980.

If a state’s laws fail to meet these requirements, the bill would require the state to amend its laws to comply with H.R. 980 within two years of the bill’s effective date.

STATUS:

The House passed H.R. 980 on July 17, 2007, by a vote of 314-97.

The Senate is expected to begin considering a bill when the Congress reconvenes in September.

ACTION NEEDED:

Write to your Senators and urge them to oppose this legislation.  Sample letters are attached.  

If your state permits collective bargaining for public sector workers, use sample letter #1.    

If your state prohibits or substantially limits collective bargaining for public sector workers please, use sample letter #2.   

A list of the status of collective bargaining laws by state can be found on page 3 of the attached document. 

Please go to the following web site -- http://www.capitolconnect.com/nlc/legissearch.aspx  -- and enter your zip code  to obtain your Senators' contact information. 

Letters should be faxed to your Senators’ Capitol Hill offices.