For Immediate Release: Monday, June 20, 2016
Montgomery County Council President Nancy Floreen on Tuesday, June 21, will introduce Expedited Bill 24-16 that would make changes to the County’s collective bargaining law to create a transparent process and promote a more equitable approach to labor negotiations. Councilmember Craig Rice is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Montgomery Council President Floreen seeks
to bring transparency and balance to
County’s collective bargaining process
Expedited Bill 24-16, to be introduced Tuesday, June 21,
would open parts of the process to the public, extend time
for negotiations and create more equitable approach
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 20, 2016—Montgomery County Council President Nancy Floreen on Tuesday, June 21, will introduce Expedited Bill 24-16 that would make changes to the County’s collective bargaining law to create a transparent process and promote a more equitable approach to labor negotiations. Councilmember Craig Rice is a co-sponsor of the bill.
Expedited Bill 24-16 would open parts of the collective bargaining process to the public; extend time for negotiations; and standardize the list of employer rights across all of the County’s collective bargaining agreements. The legislation also would require the County Executive to appoint, subject to Council confirmation, a labor relations administrator who is experienced in conducting adjudicatory hearings, such as a retired judge. The bill would separate the role of a mediator and an arbitrator in resolving an impasse in collective bargaining; create a three-person arbitration panel chaired by a retired judge; and strengthen the language requiring the arbitration panel to first consider the affordability of an agreement before any other factor.
A public hearing on the bill is tentatively scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12.
The introduction of the bill will come during the Council’s June 21 general session that will begin at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and will available via streaming through the Council web site at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
“This Council is committed to finding the right balance between the needs of our residents and the needs of our employees,” said Council President Floreen. “The changes I propose in this bill would make the County’s collective bargaining system work better for employees, government operations and taxpayers alike. The bill would help the County and our employees establish more equitable contract arbitration awards and enhance the likelihood that negotiations are grounded in fiscal reality.”
In 2011, Montgomery County’s Organizational Reform Commission (ORC) recommended changes to the County’s collective bargaining process, including increasing transparency and changing the method of selecting the arbitrator to enhance accountability. The commission’s report stated it made recommendations in this area “because of the enormous impact collective bargaining agreements have on the County’s fiscal situation.”
“Several of the recommendations in my bill are an outgrowth of the work done by the County’s Organizational Reform Commission,” said Council President Floreen. “Our most recent budget experience shows that changes to the law are still needed. Unrealistic expectations were established in the County’s collective bargaining agreements that were not sustainable. This is not fair for our employees or our residents.”
The Fiscal Year 2017 operating budget recommended by the County Executive included 8 percent raises for many County employees. The Council scaled back the recommended salary increases to 4.5 percent for most County employees by eliminating the 3.5 percent “postponed” increment (step) that was included as part of the final collective bargaining agreements.
A copy of Expedited Bill 24-16 can be found at http://tinyurl.com/z98957b . A memorandum from Councilmember Floreen to her fellow Councilmembers can be found in that packet of information.
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Release ID: 16-196