Public Safety Collective Bargaining Bill Introduced in Senate, Referred to Committee
October 12, 2007
S. 2123, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, which would give public safety officers minimum collective bargaining rights in states that currently don’t have them, was last week introduced in the U.S. Senate and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
“Collective bargaining rights for public safety officers is long overdue," said IBPO's federal lobbyist Randy Erwin. "Women and men in public safety risk their lives every day to protect the public, and they should be allowed to bargain over their working conditions."
National polls report that voters overwhelmingly support the legislation. This support cuts across party, geographic and demographic lines.
The House and Sentae bills (H.R. 980 and S.2123) are sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI), Representative John Duncan (R-TN), and Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH).
The U.S. House of Representatives on July 17, 2007, voted to pass H.R. 980 by a vote of 314-97.
Read IBPO's "Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act" Position Paper