Anti-Bargaining Bill Clears House Committee

From MNEA Legislative Update
by Otto Fajen

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee approved an HCS version of  HB 1905 (Kevin Wilson) on February 24.  HB 1905 is a rewrite of HB 805 last year's MSTA anti-bargaining bill for teachers.  The bill would still prevent K-12 teachers from having the same right as other public employees to elect an exclusive bargaining representative under a consistent framework applicable to all public employees.
The bill also makes other changes that would weaken or undermine an effective bargaining process and make it much less likely that districts and employee organizations will reach bargained agreements.  The bill unnecessarily limits the scope of what can be bargained, and gives exclusive control to school districts of many issues which could be handled by mutual agreement, such as setting bargaining timelines.

The Missouri NEA strongly opposes HB 1905. An effective bargaining process must have a unified employee voice capable of agreeing to and enforcing a bargained agreement. MNEA supports legislation that would treat all public employees fairly and that is built on broad consensus among public employee groups and public employers.  An effective bargaining law must ultimately provide for exclusive bargaining representation, a clear duty for both employees and employers to bargain in good faith, binding agreements with a clear ratification process and a fair process to resolve impasse and grievances.