Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007
The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007, introduced in the 110th Congress, proposed to establish minimum standards for state collective bargaining laws for public safety officers.
Provisions
The bill would ensure:
The right to join a union and have the union recognized by the employer
The right of public safety officers to bargain over wages, hours, and working conditions
Although the act would allow the parties to seek mediation to resolve their differences, it would not force employers into binding arbitration. The Federal Labor Relations Authority shall, within 180 days of enactment, make a determination as to whether a State substantially provides for the rights and responsibilities described in the Act. The Federal Labor Relations Authority shall have the authority to:
Determine the appropriateness of units for labor organization representation
Supervise or conduct elections to determine whether a labor organization has been selected as an exclusive representative by a voting majority of the employees
Resolve issues relating to the duty to bargain in good faith
Protect the right of each employee to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from any such activity, freely and without fear of penalty or reprisal, and protect each employee in the exercise of such right
Take such other actions as are necessary and appropriate to effectively administer the Act
Previous versions of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act narrowly missed a 60-vote supermajority in the U.S. Senate. The House Committee on Labor and Education approved the legislation on June 20, 2007, with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 42–1. The bill passed the full U.S. House of Representatives, 314–97, on July 17, 2007. On October 1, 2007, the Senate version of the bill was introduced by Senators Judd Gregg and Edward Kennedy with 10 Republican cosponsors. However, on December 14, 2007, the act was offered and later withdrawn as an amendment to the 2007 U.S. Farm Bill with opposition led by Jim DeMint and Mike Enzi. On May 14, 2008, the Senate held a procedural vote to begin debate on the bill. While the 69–29 tally seemed to indicate the bill would pass the Senate by a veto-proof margin, Senate Democrats dropped the bill May 15, 2008, after Republicans complained they didn't have enough time to offer amendments. Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid said he did not have enough votes to force final consideration of the bill. According to a press release by the IAFF, Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a non-germane motion to attach Senator John McCain’s GI Bill of Rights to S.2123. The press release refers to the motion as "a move designed both to sidetrack debate on the bill and boost the candidacy of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain." The maneuvering prompted an angry rebuke from Senator Kennedy on the Senate floor. "We have seen this parliamentary gimmick that has taken place offered by the Republican leadership that is a slap in the face to every firefighter and police officer and first responder in the country." Kennedy also questioned whether or not John McCain approved the Republicans' strategy. In spite of the apparent discord, Senator Reid indicated that the bill was not dead and that Democrats and Republicans would be able to work out a bipartisan deal on how to handle amendments.
