Legislators in Pennsylvania are considering two pieces of legislation that would open up government union negotiations to the public.
Senate Bill (SB) 503 would require negotiations between unions and elected officials be held in public, and SB 504 would require all documents related to the negotiations be made available to the public.
Pennsylvania’s current laws exempt government union negotiations from public scrutiny, according to The Intelligencer. The two bills are still waiting to be deliberated by the full Senate before being sent to the House for consideration.
Republican State Sen. Ryan Aument, who introduced SB 503, said that his experience working through the collective bargaining process has led him to believe that the two bills will lead to more honest and open negotiations.
The companion bill, SB 504, is designed to put the bargaining parties under greater public scrutiny, according to Republican State Sen. Scott Martin, who introduced it. He said that the legislation will allow taxpayers and union members to be better informed during the collective bargaining process.
Martin also believes that his bill will help stem the practice of coming beginning negotiations with outrageous demands. He believes that the additional public scrutiny will force both unions and elected officials to be more forthright earlier in the process.
One local borough council president disagreed with Martin’s thinking. Doylestown Borough Council President Det Ansinn argued that the legislation will bring contract negotiations to a complete halt.
“When contract negotiations begin, both sides reach for the stars,” Ansinn told The Intelligencer. “The part that matters most to the public is the deal that’s arrived at at the end,” she said, arguing that the lofty goals set on the outset of negotiations are a part of the bargaining process.
Republican lawmakers have dealt a series of blows to big labor and government unions as the party controls 31 of 49 state legislatures. (RELATED: Scott Walker Deals Another Blow To Big Labor In Wisconsin)
From right to work legislation to project labor agreements, GOP governors and state legislators have taken steps to roll back the power of union interests, particularly entrenched public union interests.
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