H.R. 1093 would simply require that each state provide minimum collective bargaining rights to their public safety officers, and it allows the state to decide the manner in which they are conferred. Approximately one half of the states have enacted their own collective bargaining laws, and those states would be exempted from this legislation. For the remaining states with no collective bargaining laws, this bill sets forth certain provisions that must be included in a collective bargaining bill but leaves the major decisions to the state legislature. In the interest of public safety, the bill does not permit strikes. Furthermore, it does not provide for mandatory binding arbitration.
Collective bargaining is a well-established principle.
Congress has enacted legislation conferring collective bargaining rights in the Railway Labor Act in 1926 covering transportation employees, the National Labor Relations Act covering private sector employees in 1935 and the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute covering federal employees in 1979. Most recently, Congress extended coverage of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute to congressional employees in the Congressional Accountability Act. The only substantial segment of the workforce not covered by federal labor law is employees of state and local governments. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act will put state and local government public safety officers on equal footing with other American workers. When each side of the table has a stake in the outcome, an agreement can be reached that serves both management and employees, as well as the public.