posted May 14, 2008
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker has proposed an amendment to the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R. 980), which would give states and municipalities a year to opt out of the changes that would occur if the bill becomes law.
"I don't think I will ever have a job that I loved more than being mayor of a city, nor do I think there will ever be a group of people I respect more than the firefighters and the men and women of our police departments who serve us so well," said Sen. Corker in remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday.
"As mayor, I also had to balance a budget - something we here in Washington don't have to do - and I find it inappropriate that those of us at the federal level would mandate that state and local governments collectively bargain with their public safety workers. This is a tremendous overreach by those of us at the federal level.
"I hope the collective bargaining bill fails, but if it passes, I hope my amendment is adopted so that states and cities have the right to determine their own destiny as it relates to negotiating with people who work in fire and police departments across our country."
The Senate is currently considering H.R. 980, legislation that would effectively mandate that state and local public safety employees - police departments, fire departments, and EMS workers - be allowed to collectively bargain.
Many state and local governments across the country - including the Tennessee State Legislature - have explicitly rejected the concept of collective bargaining rights for public safety employees.
Sen. Corker's amendment, which is cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, would give states and political subdivisions of a state one-year from the date of enactment to opt out of the changes that would occur if the underlying bill becomes law.
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