Public Safety Officers Deserve Basic Workplace Rights In All 50 States

http://www.afscme.org/press/13391.cfm

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 15, 2007
Public Safety Officers Deserve Basic Workplace Rights In All 50 States

WASHINGTON — Gerald W. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, today lauded the introduction of the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act authored by U.S. Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI). McEntee pledged to strongly lobby for passage of the bill, which would set minimum collective bargaining rights for state and local law enforcement officers, corrections officers and EMTs. McEntee stated:

“Public safety officers risk their lives every day to care for our communities and keep us from harm, and they deserve basic workplace protections. Congress should establish minimum collective bargaining rights for the people who protect our citizens.

“Public safety officers care deeply about their jobs, and they never go on strike. They should be guaranteed the opportunity to sit down with management and periodically discuss their concerns and have a mediator intervene in the event an impasse is reached.

“Over the years, Congress has expanded the scope of collective bargaining laws to cover private-sector employees, nonprofit association employees, transportation workers, federal government employees, and most recently, congressional employees. The only major category of workers not covered by federal laws is state and local government employees like public safety officers.

“When we do right by our public safety professionals, everyone wins. Experience has shown that when corrections officers and local law enforcement can discuss their workplace experiences, partnerships develop that lead to better, more cost-effective public service. Congress should pass the “Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act this session.”

for California. Their financial support of increased penalties for as many crimes as possible has been instrumental in making California the highest per capita imprisoning government in the world.

I think prison guards and cops should have very strict restrictions on their bargaining power and politcal activism.

California is already THE worlds premier prison state. Don't let your state join in the rush to throw your neighbors in jails.

This simply tries to make a minimum nation wide for all these types of employees. Apparently, California is well above these minimums.