This bill from Senator Jack Walsh has already been released from the Senate Labor Committee yesterday and may get a vote on the floor of the Senate soon. The bill would makes compensation a mandatory subject of bargaining for any group of employees who have joined together for purposes of collective bargaining and certified a labor organization to serve as the group’s exclusive collective bargaining representative.
Sometimes there are bills that presented that shock you with the realization that the subject of the bill is not already law. I mean, how can you have a collective bargaining meeting with the employer without the subject of compensation coming up?
What is the bill? Out of Committee 1/23/19
Democratic Sponsors: Walsh, Brady, Ennis, Hansen, McDowell, Paradee, Poore, Sturgeon, Carson, Jaques, Kowalko, Matthews, Osienski, Seigfried, K.Williams
Republican Sponsors: Cloutier
Yes Votes: Democrat, Republican
No Votes: Democrat, Republican
We bargin for working conditions. This is a reintroduction of HB96 from the 149th and Sen. Walsh has been a champion for it and state employees since he was elected. The discussion in the committee was ridiculous. Ranging from “we should keep the decision on wage increases with this body” (Senator I’ll donate to gofundme Bonini) to “We already negotiate all of these contracts but we can’t possibly keep doing it if we have to talk about money” Secretary Johnson (DHR).
Big ups to Sen. Cloutier who, even with her new leadership position, went on the record (both as a co sponsor and in committee) supporting state employees rights to collectively bargain.
As a point of reference: State employees are the only public employees in delaware not allowed to bargain for wages.
Wages are also more than what you make an hour, it also includes things like uniform allowances, standby pay, haz duty, etc. etc.
“All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1937