Assembly passes collective bargaining for state employees

Thursday, April 1, 1999 | 10 a.m.

Only one Republican - Dawn Gibbons of Reno - joined with majority Democrats to send AB131 to the state Senate where it faces an uncertain future.

A similar bill has passed the Assembly six times since the early 1970s, but it got all the way through only once - in 1991, only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Bob Miller.

Bob Gagnier, executive director of the 4,000-member State of Nevada Employees Association, had expected AB131 to win approval in the Assembly. But he's taking a wait-and-see approach on the GOP-controlled Senate.

Gov. Kenny Guinn has already said he opposes collective bargaining for state workers, and the GOP may not let it out of committee in the Senate.

The bill creates nine units that would conduct negotiations on wages, hours and working conditions, benefits, grievances and labor disputes. There is no right to strike in the bill.

City and county employees and schoolteachers have held the right of collective bargaining for more than 25 years, but there has been resistance in the Legislature to extend the right to state employees.

Bargaining units would include custodial and institutional employees, clerical workers, technical aides, professional employees, health care and personal care workers, highway patrol officers, guards and other employees with peace officer status such as at the state Public Utilities Commission and supervisory personnel.

Whatever agreement reached with the governor would be subject to the approval of the Legislature.