Agenda - Council - 05/31/1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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iI I I I -2- Allowing sympathy str~ke8 This section of the bill would allow any city employee (the employee need not belong to a union) to refuse to cross a picket line. A city (or other public employer) could not prohibit an employee from refusing to cross a picket line or impose any type of ssnction if the employee. refuses to cross. An amendment which the House Committee passed would require a bargaining unit which votes to honor another unit's picket line to give the public employer written notice 24 hours before starting the sympathy strike. I 4) The impact of this provision could be devastating. A small bargaining unit of three or four employees could establish lines at city hall, the waterworks plant, and the public utility and effectively close the city. Because PELRA classifies these employees as nonessential they could refuse to cross the picket line. A similar situation could occur with a school district where a janitor's union strike could result in the teacher's union staging a sympathy strike. · : Charter provisions could not prohibit negotiations:/....:``. This section of the bill in its amended form requi~es a public employer to meet and'negotiate with a representative of the bargaining unit regarding grievance procedures and the terms and conditions of employment, regardless of contrary provisions in any municipal-charter, ordinance, or resolution. - I i I I I I This provision is contrary to the policy behind home rule and would result in negotiated contracts and arbitrators awards overruling the wishes of the city's.residents. Contracts could negate procedures a charter establishes for civil service commissions or grants of managerial authority (temporary disciplinary suspensions for example). IMPACT OF THE BILL ~ ~' ~ ~ If this bill becomes law, it will great{y increase the bargaining strength of public employee unions. The League believes that the existing system already favors public employee unions and that this legislation would allow the unions to have a substantial impact on public spending and possibly deprive citizens of governmental services such as-water, waste disposal, and electricity. The primary issue this bill raises is whether public employees need~increased bargaining strength. Increases in wages and benefits resulting from this legislation will come out of tax dollars. The state, county, city, town, and school district taxpayers will ultimately bear the cost. For these reasons, the League strongly opposes this bill. · WHAT YOU SHOULD DO I I I Immediate action is necessary. Write or call your representatives and senators and urge them to oppose this legislation · The House could take action on the bill as early as this week and the Senate will also hear the bill soon. JJ:rmm