Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Labor & Workforce Development Committee

HB 1127

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.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires, under the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act, that units be consolidated when the employer and the representative of the units agree to the consolidation.
Establishes as an unfair labor practice for a public employer to refuse to bargain with the bargaining representative, or to attempt to bargain with anyone not authorized to bargain by the bargaining representative.

Background:

Under the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act (Act), local government and certain other public employees have the right to organize and designate collective bargaining representatives. The Public Employment Relations Commission (Commission) decides the unit appropriate for the purpose of collective bargaining. In determining, modifying, or combining a bargaining unit, the Commission is required to consider the duties, skills, and working conditions of the public employees; the history of collective bargaining by the public employees and their bargaining representatives; the extent of organization among the public employees; and the desire of the public employees.

Unfair labor practices for employers and bargaining representatives are enumerated in the Act. The Commission is directed to prevent unfair labor practices and issue appropriate remedial orders. It is an unfair labor practice for a public employer to:

interfere with, restrain, or coerce public employees in the exercise of their rights;
control, dominate, or interfere with a bargaining representative;
discriminate against a public employee who has filed an unfair labor practice charge; or
refuse to engage in collective bargaining.

Summary of Bill:

Bargaining units must be consolidated when the employer and the representative units agree to the consolidation. It is an unfair labor practice for a public employer to refuse to bargain with the bargaining representative, or to attempt to bargain with anyone not authorized to bargain by the bargaining representative.