SUPPORT FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE COOPERATION ACT

WHEREAS, our communities benefit when fire, police and correctional employees have a voice in the decisions that affect them on the job; and

WHEREAS, a more productive labor-management relationship in our local communities can improve safety and effectiveness for public safety employees and the people they serve; and

WHEREAS, only 25 states currently provide collective bargaining rights for state and local public safety employees in order to provide employees a real voice at work; and

WHEREAS, all public employees should be afforded the right to union representation and to meaningful collective bargaining with their employer; and

WHEREAS, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (PSEEC) has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) on Jan. 9, 2009, as H.R. 413 and on Aug. 6, 2009, in the Senate by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) as S. 1611 and then reintroduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) in April 2010, as S. 3194; and

WHEREAS, this proposed legislation would mandate that states adopt collective bargaining legislation to provide meaningful collective bargaining rights to state and local government employees and permit bargaining over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment along with a dispute resolution mechanism; and

WHEREAS, the failure of any state to provide these rights within two years after the passage of the PSEEC law would result in default coverage under the authority of the Federal Labor Relations Authority; and

WHEREAS, this proposed legislation would not restrict or preempt any current legislation providing collective bargaining rights to state and local government employees and would allow for broader coverage beyond just public safety employees; and

WHEREAS, the passage of this legislation would extend collective bargaining rights to substantial numbers of public employees across the country:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers support and encourage the adoption of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act and make it a legislative priority; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT inform its members, activists and leaders about the progress of this legislation and provide opportunities to lobby for its adoption; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT work with the broader labor movement to build support for this legislation in the Congress and among the general public.