Posted on 07/17/2007 1:15:39 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
House: All first responders can unionize
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, AP Labor Writer 4 minutes ago
The House on Tuesday voted to give all police, firefighters and other first responders the right to collective bargaining, although the legislation also would keep them from going on strike.
The bill, passed 314-97, gives public safety officers the right to join unions and bargain over wages, hours and conditions of employment.
"Our firefighters and police officers risk their lives to keep us safe," said Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich., the sponsor of the legislation. "Yet there are some states in this country that deny them the basic right to discuss workplace issues with their employers, a right many Americans have. At the very least, they should be allowed to negotiate for wages, hours and safe working conditions."
Two states, Virginia and North Carolina, prohibit public safety officers from collective bargaining. Twenty other states don't fully protect collective bargaining rights for firefighters, police officers, corrections officers and emergency medical service workers, supporters said.
"By guaranteeing the right of these courageous first responders to collective bargaining in all 50 states, the House has gone on record in favor of better wages, benefits and working conditions for men and women who keep watch over our neighborhoods and protect our nation," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference with first responders on the Capitol steps.
One who spoke out was Marshall E. Thielen, a police officer and president of the Fairfax Coalition of Police in Fairfax, Va., where there is no collective bargaining.
"We should have a voice and we should be able to sit down with management and not have to use other tactics," he said.
Ninety-eight Republicans voted for the bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Where’s their leverage if they can’t strike?
Yep, those damned rats. Blackbird.
At least unionizing Government workers doesn't make our industry noncompetitive.
In California, state and local public unions make large campaign contributions to the same politicans who set their salaries and benefits. As a result, most public employees have lavish salary, benefit and retirement packages that private sector workers can only dream about. To add insult to injury, the public unions are constantly whining about being underpaid. They get away with it since most folks don’t have any clue how well-paid (some would say over-paid) these folks are.
Blue Flu. You all call in sick togther.
They can get Federal arbitrators to help them negotiate, for one thing, and once they get a contract it will be damn near impossible to fire any of them. IMHO, it’s very dangerous to our civil liberties when cops can’t be fired. The whole thing is an affront to Federalism anyway. Who the hell are they to tell states whether or not their public servants can unionize?
if this one flies, it won’t be long until “first responder” means lifeguards, crossing guards, anyone at all in health care, rubble haulers, newscasters, fast-food security guards, security camera operators, and a jillion more I can’t think of right now.....
Ninety-eight Republicans voted for the bill.
We need a list of those Rinos.
Roll call in post 11.
What makes this new????? Our police and fire Departments have been unionized for years. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=325366
They can quit or choose not to join in the first place.
I know it is silly to expect our federal government to abide by the restrictions set forth in the constitution, but do they even make an attempt to justify such things?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
IMHO, it’s very dangerous to our civil liberties when cops can’t be fired.
***Hmm, good point.
I would say “freedom of assosciation” weighs in, but of course, it should not require any additional law to be passed if you are making a constitional appeal.
IMHO, it is not constitutional to legislatively intervene either way. You can’t tell the labor force they can’t form unions, and you can’t tell the hiring agencies that they can’t fire anyone who join a union.
(But you could definitely pass laws against ‘striking’ in respect to interstate commerce.)
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