COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR NORTH DAKOTA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, all private sector employees are guaranteed under the National Labor Relations Act the right to collectively organize and bargain; and

WHEREAS, millions of public employees across this nation are entitled to collectively bargain wages, hours and conditions of employment subject to the individual states' collective bargaining laws; and

WHEREAS, public school teachers in North Dakota have had the right to negotiate with local school boards since 1969; and

WHEREAS, public employees in North Dakota have no legal mechanism under which to engage in a meaningful collective bargaining relationship with their employers:

RESOLVED, that the national staff of the AFT provide whatever services are needed to the North Dakota Public Employees Association, FSE/AFT in its drive to bring democracy to the workplace, through collective bargaining, to all public sector employees in North Dakota; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers redouble its efforts to bring collective bargaining rights to all those states that are presently denied this basic freedom.