Public Safety Bargaining Bill Passes U.S. House

Bill now moves to Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives took an important step forward in providing fire fighters, police officers, and other public safety workers collective bargaining rights by passing the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act as an amendment to the war supplemental spending bill moving through the Congress.

Most states already provide bargaining rights to public safety workers. Only North Carolina and Virginia make it illegal for public employees - including safety workers - to sit down at the table and bargain as equals with their employer. This bill would change that for public safety workers, and it's a long time in coming, says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger:

“Seventy-five years after passage of the National Labor Relations Act, fire fighters are a step closer to having the same rights that workers in the private sector have had since 1935."

Tell Kay Hagan keep her campaign promise of support

Kay Hagan won the endorsement of the IAFF in 2008 after pledging her support for the collective bargaining bill. Now staff for the Senator are indicating she has changed her position.

"This is unacceptable," says Greensboro firefighter and Vice President of PFFPNC Local 947 , Dave Coker:

"We are asking that you contact Senator Hagan's office and urge her to live up to the promises she made to firefighters in North Carolina and vote for the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act.

"I can't stress how important these phone calls will be as we head into this fight.  You can bet that the City/County Managers and others will be calling Senator Hagan and encouraging her to vote against the bill."

Here's the number to Kay Hagan's DC office: 202-224-6342; and her state headquarters in Greensboro: 336-333-5311; and her Raleigh office: 919-856-4630; and her Charlotte office: 704-334-2448; and her Asheville office: 828-257-6510; and her Greenville office: 252-754-0707.

For more information about this legislation, visit the IAFF website.