MO FOP MESSAGE BOARD: H.R. 980 Legislative Alert

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H.R. 980 Legislative Alert

Posted by Dave Reyburn on 5/23/2008, 8:09 am

LATEST UPDATE

H.R. 980 Legislative Alert

5/15/2008

The motion to invoke cloture on H.R 980, the "Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act," which was filed by Senator Harry M. Reid (D-NV), Majority Leader, was successfully withdrawn on Thursday evening, avoiding the need to have a vote on Friday morning.

Senator Reid, along with Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and lead cosponsor of H.R. 980, and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Minority Leader, agreed to set aside the cloture motion and work to reach an agreement to allow the consideration of some amendments. As of right now, no votes are scheduled and the FOP is monitoring the negotiations in an effort to get the bill back on the floor.

WE STILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO CONTACT SENATE OFFICES!!!

It is CRITICAL that members make contact with their Senators and ask them to support H.R. 980.

All FOP members should call their Senators at their Washington offices (or through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121)

REMEMBER: the bill does not require binding arbitration, protects existing right-to-work laws, and specifically prohibits strikes and lockouts. The legislation merely requires that States “substantially provide” for the following rights and responsibilities:

the right to form and join a labor organization;
the right to bargain over hours, wages, and the terms and conditions of employment; and
the availability of an “interest impasse resolution mechanism such as fact-finding, mediation, arbitration, or comparable procedures.“

Additional talking points to use when making your case:

Last July, H.R. 980, was favorably reported by the House Committee on Education and Labor on a 42–1 vote. Later that same month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill on a 314–97 vote.
The House bill won a majority of votes from BOTH party caucuses.
The bottom line for both public safety employers and employees is not profit for shareholders, but to best ensure the safety of the officers, to bring them home safely at the end of their shift and to deliver emergency services in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
It is irresponsible and offensive to suggest that collective bargaining would impede or jeopardize the ability of law enforcement officers to do their jobs. Their lives are on the line every day, agreement or no agreement, and to suggest that response to a critical incident would be used as a bargaining chip is reprehensible.

You can get additional information on the bill, and can direct Senate staff to, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Grand Lodge web site:

http://www.fop.net/legislative/issues/bargain/hr980faq.pdf.
If any of the Senator's staff that you speak with have additional questions about the legislation, tell them to contact Tim Richardson at in the FOP's National Legislative Office at 202-547-8189.

We need all FOP members to contact their senators in their Washington, D.C. office now and ask them to vote in favor of cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 980, the “Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act”!!! If we fail to win the vote tomorrow morning, we may not get another chance to vote on this measure in this Congress!!!

Call now and watch your e-mail and the FOP web site for additional legislative alerts!!!