Unions pounce on membership bill in Assembly

CARSON CITY — Two longstanding pillars of organized labor — union membership and employee seniority — would face changes under a Nevada collective bargaining bill that addresses how local governments and unions do business together.

The Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday heard Assembly Bill 182, which would allow government employees to quit their union membership whenever they wish.

AB182, sponsored by Assemblyman Randy Kirner, R-Reno, also would allow local governments to look at employees beyond simply their seniority level when making layoffs.

Kirner said the bill’s purpose falls in line with Nevada’s standing as a right-to-work state in which people don’t have to join a union for their job.

“I do not think this bill attacks in any way the average hard-working Nevadan,” Kirner said, acknowledging his proposal has been widely attacked by labor organizations.

Currently, employees have a limited window each year to decide if they want union membership for the upcoming year.

The measure faces strong opposition from union officials, who say that allowing members to quit anytime would hamper their ability to plan annual budgets, which are based on dues.

Union leaders also say that allowing a government employer to look beyond seniority when making layoffs would lead to more ambiguity and increased complaints filed with the state’s Employee-Management Relations Board.

“We’re going to be before them a lot and that is an impact I urge you to consider,” Rick McCann, president of the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, told the committee.

The bill also would end the practice of government paying employees when they are on leave to do union-related work. Currently, state law allows local governments and unions to negotiate paid union leave in contracts, which allows employees to work full time or part time on union-related work, such as leadership roles or as a steward mediating conflicts between employees and management.

Victor Joecks, executive vice president of the conservative think tank Nevada Policy Research Institute, said the bill would give employees a great ability to make decisions about union membership.

“All you’re really doing is offering them freedom,” he said.

The committee didn’t take any action on the bill Tuesday. Kirner also outlined an amendment to the bill, removing changes he proposed to the arbitration and fact-finding process.

Other bills also offer potential changes for collective bargaining and have made more headway this session.

Senate Bill 241, which has passed the Assembly and Senate, would prevent a government agency from increasing compensation or benefits until a new contract is approved. Gov. Brian Sandoval hasn’t yet said if he’ll sign it.

The bill also would allow government agencies to give employees leave for union work, but would require that the labor organizations pay the costs.

The Assembly on Friday passed Senate Bill 168, which would allow government agencies to declare a “fiscal emergency” and reopen union contracts for negotiations.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.