TWU Contract Negotiations
Communication Update
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Firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical service personnel
are often the first on the scene for emergencies big and small.
But tens of thousands of these public safety officers do not have
the right to negotiate with their employers, leaving them without
a voice at work.
A bill in the Senate would ensure these public safety officers
have minimum collective bargaining rights in the few states where
those rights are not already guaranteed. As soon as tomorrow -
Tuesday, May 13 - the Senate could vote on the Public Safety Employer-Employee
Cooperation Act (S. 2123).
Write your Senators now and ask them to vote "YES" on
this bill:
The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act would give
public safety employees the right to collective bargaining, and
would ensure that workplace issues directly affecting public safety
can be discussed between these employees and their employers. These
minimum rights would include:
- the right to bargain over wages, hours, and working conditions;
- a dispute resolution mechanism; and
- enforcement of contracts through state courts.
And given the unique responsibilities of the public safety community,
the bill would specifically outlaw strikes by firefighters, police
officers, and emergency medical personnel.
The vast majority of America’s workers already have the right
to bargain collectively. Yet tens of thousands of our nation's
firefighters, police officers, and homeland security workers are
unfairly denied this basic protection.
The House recognized this need for public safety employees’ rights
when it overwhelmingly passed its version of the bill last year
with a vote of 314-97. The same bipartisan support is now needed
in the Senate. Ask your Senators to vote YES on S. 2123:
Thank you for standing up to give firefighters, law enforcement
officers, and emergency medical personnel the voice they deserve.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
