SENATE BILL REPORT

ESCR 8403

BYSenators West, Smitherman, Lee, Warnke, McMullen and Fleming

Providing for a joint select committee on employer-employee relations.

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 23, 1989; February 6, 1989

Majority Report:     Do pass as amended.

     Signed by Senators Lee, Chairman; Anderson, Vice Chairman; McDonald, McMullen, Murray, Saling, Smitherman, Warnke, West, Williams.

Senate Staff:Jonathan Seib (786-7427)

                April 22, 1989

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 13, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act covers all municipal and county employees, with some specified exceptions.  The act is administered by the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) under the Public Employment Labor Relations Act.

In 1969, an interim Committee on Public Employee Collective Bargaining was created by the Legislature.  The committee met from 1969 to 1973, and published a formal report and recommendations to the Legislature.  The Legislature adopted some of these recommendations.  The committee ceased to function in 1973 and was allowed to sunset in 1986.

SUMMARY:

A Joint Select Committee on Public Employee Collective Bargaining is established.  Committee members include senators, representatives and public employers and employees.  The committee will study the operation of the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act except as that act applies to uniform personnel, and the administration of the act by the Public Employment Relations Commission.  It will report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature in 1991.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:    available

Appointments by Legislature Required: Two senators by the President of the Senate; two representatives by the Speaker of the House; three public employee representatives and three public employer representatives jointly by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.

Senate Committee - Testified:   Sam Kinville, WCCSE; Cliff Finch, AWB; David Westberg, Operating Engineers; Marv Schurke, PERC: Kathleen Collins, AWC; Howard Vietzke, Firefighters

HOUSE AMENDMENT:

The "joint select committee" is changed to a "legislative task force" with all other provisions the same.