We have just learned that the Senate is planning to vote on mandatory collective bargaining as early as this week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is attempting to add S. 3194 to the supplemental appropriations legislation H.R. 4899. IPMA-HR is opposed to the Public Safety Employer Employee Cooperation Act because it gives the federal government a significant role in state and local public safety collective bargaining. States and localities are free to choose whether or not to engage in collective bargaining and many already have. The bill would require the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to review the laws of all 50 states to see if they substantially provide for collective bargaining as defined by S. 3194 and to develop regulations for those states and localities deemed not in compliance. There could not be a worse time to impose a federal mandate given the poor economy and the fact that 30% of IPMA-HR members said their organizations would be conducting layoffs this year.

Your Senators can be reached very quickly by email. The Senate directory is located here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.