Teamsters Applaud US House Passage of Public Safety Workers Bill

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Teamsters Applaud Passage of Public Safety Workers Bill

Legislation Is a Major Step Toward Collective Bargaining Rights for Law
Enforcement Officers

WASHINGTON, July 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a major victory, the
United States House of Representatives voted 314-97 in support of H.R. 980,
the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. The legislation,
passed yesterday, received overwhelming bipartisan support.

"The House of Representatives has taken a major step in securing basic
collective bargaining rights for first responders throughout the country,"
said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "The police officers,
firefighters and emergency services workers who ensure the safety of our
towns, cities and states deserve the protections this bill provides."

This bill guarantees the rights of public safety officers in states to
collectively bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions. The
bill would address workplace inequity by providing basic labor protections
for state and local public safety workers. Currently, 20 states do not
fully protect workers' collective bargaining rights.

Teamsters fought hard for the passage of H.R. 980, helping to secure
280 cosponsors, 210 Democrats and 70 Republicans, making the bill one of
the most strongly supported pieces of legislation in this Congressional
term.

"We promised to pass public safety collective bargaining," said Rep.
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Speaker of the House of Representatives. "And I'm
proud that our leadership team has fulfilled that pledge to America's first
responders."

The Teamsters Law Enforcement League (TLEL) provides important
organizing, negotiating, and representation assistance to law enforcement
throughout North America. In addition, the TLEL and staff of the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters lobby in support of public employee
legislation before Congress and various states legislative bodies around
the country.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4
million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada.