SENATE BILL REPORT

                            SB 5268

                    AS OF FEBRUARY 19, 1993

Brief Description:  Redefining uniformed personnel for public employee collective bargaining.

SPONSORS: Senators Sutherland, Roach, Prentice, von Reichbauer and Skratek

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & COMMERCE

Staff:  Jonathan Seib (786‑7427)

Hearing Dates:

BACKGROUND:

Employees of cities, counties, and other political subdivisions of the state bargain under the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA).  To resolve disputes involving uniformed personnel, PECBA requires binding arbitration if negotiations for a contract reach impasse and cannot be resolved through mediation.

Uniformed personnel include fire fighters in all cities and counties and law enforcement officers in the larger jurisdictions (in cities with a population 15,000 or more, and in counties with a population of 70,000 or more).

The binding interest arbitration provisions of the act also apply to publicly employed advanced life support technicians, except those employed by a public hospital district.

Port district employees also collectively bargain under the PECBA, unless different collective bargaining procedures are specified in the port district authorization statutes.  Except for certain fire fighters in the LEOFF system, these employees are not covered by the PECBA's binding interest arbitration procedures.

SUMMARY:

The binding interest arbitration provisions of the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act for uniformed personnel are extended to:

(1)the law enforcement officers of all cities, towns, and counties;

(2)peace officers employed by a port district;

(3)fire fighters employed by port districts;

(4)public fire department employees who dispatch exclusively for fire or emergency medical services, or both; and

(5)all advanced life support technicians who are employed by a public employer.

Appropriation: none 

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested February 19, 1993