Collective bargaining bill IAFF priority
The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 1997 (HR 1173) was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 20, 1997, by Congressmen Dave Kildee (D-MI) and Bob Ney (R-OH). A priority of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the bill is intended to provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers–including firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel (excluded are permanent management or supervisory employees)–employed by states or their political subdivisions. States without bargaining laws would have the option of being under the jurisdiction of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or enacting their own legislation. The bill was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
As of July 18, the IAFF reports, the bill had 125 cosponsors. The IAFF objective is to get 55 additional cosponsors by the end of the Labor Day congressional recess.
