Overlooked DC Victory Shows Linking Safety, Labor Rights is Winning Formula

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6220/firefighters_victory_shows_linking_safety_labor_rights_is_winning_form/

Monday July 12 2:55 pm By Mike Elk


New York City firefighters at work on May 12, 2010, in lower Manhattan. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)


Two week ago, a major piece of labor law legislation called The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act passed the House with Republican support, and no one heard about it. The bill grants firefighters and safety officers the right to collectively bargain even in the states that forbid public employees from collectively bargaining.

The bill may die in the Senate, but already several Republican Senators have signaled their support for the measure. But regardless of the legislation's fate, just being able to pass the bill through the House is a large victory for a labor movement that has seen no progress under President Obama.

So how were the firefighters and safety unions able to pass such a measure at a time when, as the New York Times points out, even Democrats are attacking public employees? What lessons does this offer the labor movement?

There's important background here: Even in "right to work" states, firefighters and police officers are heavily organized into unions, and they aren't afraid to flex their muscles in confrontations over working conditions. (Police officers often do it illegally by going out on strike by calling in sick en masses in what is labeled “the blue flu.")

Organized labor was able to pass the measure by arguing that giving public safety officers and firefighters the right to collectively bargain is essential to maintaining public safety. Here's International Association of Firefighter's statement hailing the legislation:

While most firefighters and law enforcement officers are already provided bargaining rights under state laws, too many public safety officers do not have the ability to present ideas about how they can better protect the public safety. The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act will ensure that every state allows discussions between first responders and the agencies that employ them, and will promote productive partnerships between labor and management.


FULL story at link.