“I will always fight to maintain collective bargaining rights for hardworking Americans, including my constituents in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where union rights are a time-honored tradition,” Cartwright said. “Strong public and private sector unions built the middle class in our country. With all of the progress workers of all stripes have made, now is not the time to turn back the clock on fair pay and workplace protections when struggling families need it the most.”
The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections, was introduced in Congress this week by Sen. Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii and Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania.
“I will always fight to maintain collective bargaining rights for hardworking Americans, including my constituents in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where union rights are a time-honored tradition,” Cartwright said. “Strong public and private sector unions built the middle class in our country. With all of the progress workers of all stripes have made, now is not the time to turn back the clock on fair pay and workplace protections when struggling families need it the most.”
Specifically, the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will provide the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) with the authority to determine whether a state, territory or locality provides public employees and supervisors the right:
To form, join or assist a union to bargain collectively, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid (including the filing of joint, class or collective legal claims) or protection.
To have their union recognized by their public employer if the union is freely chosen by a majority of employees, to bargain with the employer through the union, and to commit their collective bargaining agreement to writing.
To be free from forced recertification elections of their already recognized representative and decertification of their chosen representative within one year of an election or the expiration of a valid collective bargaining agreement.
To have a procedure for resolving impasses in collective bargaining culminating in binding arbitration.
To authorize employers to deduct fees to the union from their payroll when employees consent.
