Brief Description: Establishing the term of existence of a collective bargaining agreement.

Sponsors: Senators Kohl-Welles, Clements, Hobbs, Parlette, Pridemore and Hatfield.

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background: The Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA) covers employees of cities, counties, municipal corporations, and other political subdivisions of the state for purposes of bargaining wages and working conditions.

Various other public employees also bargain under the PECBA, including: Washington State Patrol officers and other specified "uniformed personnel;" classified employees at school districts and technical colleges; teaching assistants at the University of Washington; individual providers; and family child care providers.

Under the PECBA, the employer and exclusive bargaining representative must negotiate in good faith and execute a written agreement over specified mandatory subjects of bargaining. A collective bargaining agreement is not valid if it provides for a term of more than three years.

Summary: Under the PECBA, the maximum allowable term for collective bargaining agreements between cities, counties, municipal corporations, and school districts and their respective employees is increased from three to six years.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      70   26

Effective:   July 22, 2007