Title: An act relating to negotiating state patrol officer wages and wage-related matters.

Brief Description: Negotiating state patrol officer wages and wage-related matters.

Sponsors: Senators Haugen, Delvin, Weinstein, Esser, Carrell, Keiser, McAuliffe and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/23/05, 3/1/05 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5208 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Jacobsen, Vice Chair; Poulsen, Vice Chair; Swecker, Ranking Minority Member; Benson, Eide, Esser, Kastama, Mulliken, Oke, Spanel and Weinstein.

Staff: Dalene Sprick (786-7321)

Background: Current law allows for the Washington State Patrol to bargain on wage related matters. However, current law prohibits the Washington State Patrol from negotiating rates of pay and wage levels.

Summary of Substitute Bill: The Washington State Patrol may negotiate in matters of pay and wage level. For purposes of negotiating, the state must be represented by the chief of the Washington State Patrol.

The Chief of the State Patrol must periodically consult with a subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations. The committee must be consulted regarding appropriations necessary to implement the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement and advised on the elements of the provisions.

Provisions that are entered into before the Legislature approves the funds necessary to implement the provisions must be conditioned upon the approval of such funds.

The decision of an arbitration panel is not binding on the Legislature and, if the Legislature does not approve funds necessary to implement the provisions pertaining to wages and wage-related matters, the Washington State Patrol is also not bound.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The original bill was not considered.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on July 1, 2005.

Testimony For: This would allow us to negotiate on wage matters, this is a right that other labor groups already have. Any negotiations must be approved by the legislature or they are not binding. There were problems with the original bill in that it caused a bifurcation of negotiations The substitute puts all bargaining in one place and therefore alleviates that concern. Regardless of which version passes the Chief's office and the Office of Financial Management will form a team effort surrounding this process.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Chief John Batisie, WSP; Captain Fred Fakkema, WSP; Bob Thurston, Washington State Troopers Association; and Rick Jensen, Washington State Troopers Association.