Bill may lead to bargaining rights

Friday, March 28, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- For 28 years, employees of cities, counties and school districts have been able to bargain for their salaries and benefits.

But state employees have always been blocked by either the Legislature or a governor's veto in gaining collective bargaining rights. Bills have been introduced in six sessions since 1973 and each has failed to become law.

State employee unions tried again Wednesday. The Assembly Government Affairs Committee sponsored Assembly Bill 310, a bill backed by competing state worker unions.

"I think it has a good chance" of passage, said Robert Gagnier, executive director of the 4,400-member State of Nevada Employees Association. Many of the objections voiced about prior bills have been removed, he said.

This time, the unions put aside their differences and agreed on a single bill. In 1995, Gagnier's union and the Service Employees International Union were at odds. A collective bargaining bill made it out of the Assembly Government Affairs Committee but died in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

In 1973, 1977, 1983 and 1987, the Assembly passed collective bargaining for state workers, but it died in the Senate. In 1991, both houses passed a bill but it was vetoed by Gov. Bob Miller.

AB310 would create eight bargaining units, representing different classes of employees. Each unit would bargain with the governor or his representative for a two-year contract. The Legislature would have the right to reject any contract agreement or modify it.

Gagnier said complaints were raised in the past by the Senate that the Legislature "was left out of the loop" in the bargaining process. This bill would give lawmakers the final say on any contract.

A three-member Board for Labor Relations would be created by the bill and it would establish procedures for mediation and arbitration, decide which employee organizations to recognize as bargaining agents and hear complaints of bad faith negotiations.

One board member each would be named by the governor, the president pro tempore of the Senate and the Assembly speaker.

Employee groups would be entitled to negotiate over wages, hours and other conditions of employment. Outside the bargaining process would be hiring and job assignment, minimum qualifications for jobs and the amount of work that must be performed by a worker, except when a safety issues arises.