House defeats union bill?

Below is a press release from Republican House Leader Wayne Scott 3-21-07:

HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFEAT SB 400; PROTECT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM HIGHER COSTS

SALEM””House Republicans today were successful in defeating SB 400, the bill to expose local governments and public safety agencies to higher staffing and operational costs.

“This was a failed attempt by House Democratic leadership to expand union power,” said House Republican Leader Wayne Scott (R-Canby). “Last week, they raised costs on our local school districts and community colleges. This week, they tried to raise costs on our cities, counties, police departments, fire departments and other “˜first responder’ agencies.”

“Fortunately, enough House Democrats agreed with us that SB 400 was bad for Oregon.”

Oregon law already requires mandatory bargaining for safety issues that have a direct and substantial effect on employees’ on-the-job safety. SB 400 would have bypassed the traditional policy-making process by forcing local governments and public safety agencies to bargain staffing levels, operating procedures, equipment purchases and other important management decisions.

“SB 400 would have fundamentally shifted the discussion from the public arena of policy-making to the closed door room of the bargaining table,” said Rep. Vicki Berger (R-Salem).

The bill was opposed by the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, the Oregon Fire District Directors Association, the League of Oregon Cities, the Association of Oregon Counties, Oregon Public Employer Labor Relations Association and the Mid-Willamette Valley Mayors Coalition.

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