Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Government Operations & Elections Committee |
SSB 6250
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 Description: Requiring submission of digital copies of public employees' collective bargaining agreements.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Dammeier, Sheldon and Tom).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/26/14
Staff: Jasmine Vasavada (786-7301).
Background:
Employees of cities, counties, municipal corporations, and other political subdivisions of the state bargain their wages and working conditions under the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA). Various other public employees also bargain under the auspices of 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 (home care workers), and family child care providers. In addition, certain private sector employees have a right to collective bargaining under state law. These include employees of symphony orchestras and certain employees involved in health care activities.
Negotiating an Agreement.
Under the PECBA, the employer and exclusive bargaining representative have a mutual obligation to negotiate in good faith and to execute a written agreement over specified mandatory subjects of bargaining (grievance procedures and personnel matters, including wages, hours and working conditions).
Regulation of Collective Bargaining Agreements.
The Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) was created to assist public employers and employees to settle labor disputes through mediation and fact finding. The commission may offer its services in any labor dispute arising under a collective bargaining statute administered by the commission, either upon its own motion or upon the request of one or more of the parties to the dispute.
The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) regulates the collective bargaining for health care activities. Health care activity is defined as any hospital, nursing home, institution, agency, or establishment, not operated by the government, that cares for sick, aged, or infirm persons as one of its primary purposes.
Summary of Bill:
Employers of the following employees must submit a digital copy of their collective bargaining agreement within 30 days of the agreement's effective date to the PERC:
state civil service employees;
state higher education classified employees;
community and technical college faculty and classified employees;
school district certificated employees;
marine employees; and
symphony employees.
Employers of employees involved in certain health care activities must submit a digital copy of their collective bargaining agreement within 30 days of the agreement's effective date to L&I.
The PERC, or in the case of covered health care employees, L&I, must maintain a web site that allows the public to view and download collective bargaining agreements, which must be in a digital format. Expired collective bargaining agreements must remain available for up to 10 years following expiration.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.