Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Labor Committee

HB 1122

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.

Background:

Employees of cities, counties, and other political subdivisions of the state bargain their wages and working conditions under the Public Employee's Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA). For certain uniformed personnel, the PECBA recognizes the public policy against strikes as a means of settling labor disputes. For those employees, the PECBA requires binding interest arbitration if negotiations for a contract reach impasse and cannot be resolved through mediation. Under interest arbitration, an impartial third party arbitrator makes decisions as to the terms of the contract.

"Uniformed personnel" include, among others: firefighters; employees of fire departments of public employers who dispatch exclusively either fire or emergency medical services, or both; law enforcement officers in larger cities and counties; general authority peace officers and firefighters employed by certain port districts; correctional employees who are employed in jails by counties with a population of 70,000 or more, and who are trained for and charged with responsibility for custody of inmates in the jail; security forces at a nuclear power plant; and publicly employed advanced life support technicians. Other public employees covered by interest arbitration include Washington State Patrol officers.

Summary of Bill:

The interest arbitration provisions of the PECBA for uniformed personnel are extended to employees of public employers, other than fire departments, who dispatch fire, police, or emergency services.