HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1801
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
As Reported by House Committee On:
Commerce & Labor
Title: An act relating to interest arbitration for employees of juvenile court services administered under 13.20.060.
Brief Description: Providing interest arbitration for employees of juvenile court services administered under RCW 13.20.060.
Sponsors: Representatives Green, Williams, McCune, O'Brien and Sullivan.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Commerce & Labor: 2/10/09, 2/20/09 [DP].
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR |
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 6 members: Representatives Wood, Vice Chair; Condotta, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Crouse, Green and Moeller.
Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 2 members: Representatives Conway, Chair; Williams.
Staff: Jill Reinmuth (786-7134)
Background:
The Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA) provides for collective bargaining of wages and working conditions by counties, cities, and other political subdivisions and their employees. For uniformed personnel, the PECBA recognizes the public policy against strikes as a means of settling labor disputes. To resolve impasses over contract negotiations involving uniformed personnel, the PECBA requires binding arbitration.
Uniformed personnel include correctional employees who are employed in jails by counties with a population of 70,000 or more, and who are trained for and charged with responsibility for custody of inmates in the jail. Other employees listed as uniformed personnel include: firefighters in all cities and counties and law enforcement officers in larger cities and counties, general authority peace officers and firefighters employed by certain port districts, security forces at a nuclear power plant, and publicly employed advanced life support technicians.
The Juvenile Justice Act authorizes superior court judges in certain counties with a population of one million or more to transfer responsibility for and administration of juvenile court services to the county executive, subject to approval of the county legislative authority. Pursuant to such a transfer, the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, through the Juvenile Division, operates the juvenile detention facility and administers alternatives to secure detention.
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Summary of Bill:
The binding interest arbitration provisions of the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act are extended to certain juvenile detention employees. These employees must be employed by a juvenile detention division created pursuant to a transfer of juvenile court services by superior court judges in certain counties with a population of one million or more to the county executive. They must be responsible for supervising, controlling, monitoring, programming, classifying, and/or maintaining custody of juveniles in juvenile detention facilities or alternatives to secure detention programs.
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Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:
(In support) The King County Juvenile Detention Division is the largest juvenile detention system in the state. The work performed by the juvenile detention officers is dangerous. The facility houses a large number of juveniles that have committed serious crimes. It is an extremely violent atmosphere.
The juvenile detention officers have not been able to bargain effectively with King County. The first offer is the same as the final offer. There is not really negotiation. There is not progress on improving safety and working conditions.
The juvenile detention officers currently do not have a right to strike or a right to binding arbitration. Adult corrections officers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and transit workers have binding arbitration to resolve impasses. This bill would give juvenile detention officers the same option.
(Opposed) King County, as a matter of policy, opposes the extension of interest arbitration rights to new organizations. Interest arbitration increases costs. In the current climate, anything that constrains the county's ability to settle negotiations is not something that the county supports. The current process has produced fair and consistent results.
Persons Testifying: (In support) Representative Green, prime sponsor; and Arne Walker, Clay Impala, Jason Smith, Manuel Yniguez, and Jim Williams, King County Juvenile Detention Guild.
(Opposed) Michael West, King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.