Teamsters Applaud Passage of Public Safety Workers Bill

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.