AB908: Bill Text

LRB-4276/1

MIM:wlj

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 908

January 4, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives Cabrera, Sinicki, C. Anderson, J. Anderson, Bare, Considine, Doyle, Emerson, Haywood, Hong, Joers, Neubauer, Ohnstad, Palmeri, Ratcliff, Shankland, Shelton, Snodgrass, Stubbs, Subeck, Jacobson and Madison, cosponsored by Senators Larson, Agard, Carpenter, Hesselbein, Roys, Spreitzer, Wirch and L. Johnson. Referred to Committee on Labor and Integrated Employment.

AB908,2,3 An Act to repeal 66.0506, 66.0508, 66.0509 (1m), 73.03 (68), 111.70 (1) (cm), 111.70 (3) (a) 7m., 111.70 (3) (b) 6m., 111.70 (4) (cg), 111.70 (4) (d) 3. b., 111.70 (4) (mb), 111.70 (4) (mbb), 111.71 (4m), 111.71 (5m), 111.81 (3n), 111.83 (3) (b), 111.91 (3) (b), 111.91 (3q), 118.245 and 120.12 (4m); to renumber 111.83 (3) (a); to renumber and amend 111.70 (4) (c) 1. and 111.70 (4) (cm) 1.; to consolidate and renumber 111.70 (4) (d) 3. a. and c.; to consolidate, renumber and amend 111.91 (3) (intro.) and (a); to amend 20.425 (1) (i), 111.70 (1) (a), 111.70 (3) (a) 5., 111.70 (4) (c) (title), 111.70 (4) (c) 2., 111.70 (4) (c) 3. (intro.), 111.70 (4) (cm) (title), 111.70 (4) (cm) 2., 3. and 4., 111.70 (4) (cm) 8m., 111.70 (4) (d) 1., 111.70 (4) (d) 2. a., 111.70 (4) (p), 111.70 (8) (a), 111.71 (2), 111.77 (9), 111.825 (5), 111.83 (1), 111.83 (4), 119.04 (1), 120.18 (1) (gm), 851.71 (4) and 904.085 (2) (a); and to create 111.70 (3) (a) 7., 111.70 (3) (b) 6., 111.70 (4) (c) 1g., 111.70 (4) (cm) 1g., 111.70 (4) (cm) 5., 111.70 (4) (cm) 6., 111.70 (4) (cm) 7., 111.70 (4) (cm) 7g., 111.70 (4) (cm) 7r., 111.70 (4) (cm) 8., 111.70 (4) (n), 111.70 (7m) (c) 3., 111.70 (7m) (e), 111.71 (4) and 111.71 (5) of the statutes; relating to: bargaining over wages, hours, and conditions of employment for public employees.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the only subject that most state and municipal employees may collectively bargain over is a percentage increase in base wages that does not exceed the percentage increase in the consumer price index. This bill removes that limitation so that state and municipal employees may bargain over any increase in wages.

Also, under current law, certain protective occupation participants under the Wisconsin Retirement System, known as public safety employees, and certain municipal transit employees may collectively bargain wages, hours, and conditions of employment. Under the bill, most state and general municipal employees may collectively bargain hours and conditions of employment.

The bill also allows all municipal employers and labor organizations to agree to a dispute settlement procedure, including binding interest arbitration, to resolve an impasse over the terms of a collective bargaining agreement under the Municipal Employment Relations Act.

Under current law, representatives for most municipal and state employee bargaining units must be selected by at least 51 percent of the employees in the bargaining unit. The bill changes that requirement to a simple majority of the employees voting in the collective bargaining unit.

Finally, under current law, representatives for most municipal and state employee bargaining units must be certified annually by receiving at least 51 percent of the vote of the employees in the bargaining unit. The bill repeals this certification requirement.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB908,1 Section 1 . 20.425 (1) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,3,9 20.425 (1) (i) Fees, collective bargaining training, publications, and appeals. The amounts in the schedule for the performance of fact-finding, mediation, certification, and arbitration functions, for the provision of copies of transcripts, for the cost of operating training programs under ss. 111.09 (3), 111.71 (5m) (5), and 111.94 (3), for the preparation of publications, transcripts, reports, and other copied material, and for costs related to conducting appeals under s. 230.45. All moneys received under ss. 111.09 (1) and (2), 111.70 (4) (d) 3. b., 111.71 (1) and (2), 111.83 (3) (b), 111.94 (1) and (2), and 230.45 (3), all moneys received from arbitrators and arbitration panel members, and individuals who are interested in serving in such positions, and from individuals and organizations who participate in other collective bargaining training programs conducted by the commission, and all moneys received from the sale of publications, transcripts, reports, and other copied material shall be credited to this appropriation account.

AB908,2 Section 2. 66.0506 of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,3 Section 3. 66.0508 of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,4 Section 4. 66.0509 (1m) of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,5 Section 5. 73.03 (68) of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,6 Section 6. 111.70 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,4,4 111.70 (1) (a) “Collective bargaining" means the performance of the mutual obligation of a municipal employer, through its officers and agents, and the representative of its municipal employees in a collective bargaining unit, to meet and confer at reasonable times, in good faith, with the intention of reaching an agreement, or to resolve questions arising under such an agreement, with respect to wages, hours, and conditions of employment for public safety employees or transit employees and with respect to wages for general municipal employees, and with respect to a requirement of the municipal employer for a municipal employee to perform law enforcement and fire fighting services under s. 60.553, 61.66, or 62.13 (2e) and for a school district with respect to any matter under sub. (4) (n), except as provided in sub. (4) (mb) and (mc) and s. 40.81 (3) and except that a municipal employer shall not meet and confer with respect to any proposal to diminish or abridge the rights guaranteed to any public safety employees under ch. 164. Collective bargaining includes the reduction of any agreement reached to a written and signed document.

AB908,7 Section 7. 111.70 (1) (cm) of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,8 Section 8 . 111.70 (3) (a) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,4,15 111.70 (3) (a) 5. To violate any collective bargaining agreement previously agreed upon by the parties with respect to wages, hours, and conditions of employment affecting public safety employees or transit municipal employees, including an agreement to arbitrate questions arising as to the meaning or application of the terms of a collective bargaining agreement or to accept the terms of such arbitration award, where previously the parties have agreed to accept such award as final and binding upon them or to violate any collective bargaining agreement affecting general municipal employees, that was previously agreed upon by the parties with respect to wages.

AB908,9 Section 9 . 111.70 (3) (a) 7. of the statutes is created to read:

AB908,4,18 111.70 (3) (a) 7. To refuse or otherwise fail to implement an arbitration decision lawfully made under sub. (4) (cm).

AB908,10 Section 10 . 111.70 (3) (a) 7m. of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,11 Section 11 . 111.70 (3) (b) 6. of the statutes is created to read:

AB908,4,22 111.70 (3) (b) 6. To refuse or otherwise fail to implement an arbitration decision lawfully made under sub. (4) (cm).

AB908,12 Section 12 . 111.70 (3) (b) 6m. of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,13 Section 13 . 111.70 (4) (c) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,5,2 111.70 (4) (c) (title) Methods for peaceful settlement of disputes; public safety employees law enforcement and fire fighting personnel.

AB908,14 Section 14 . 111.70 (4) (c) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 111.70 (4) (c) 1m. and amended to read:

AB908,5,10 111.70 (4) (c) 1m. `Mediation.' The commission may function as a mediator in labor disputes involving a collective bargaining unit containing a public safety employee. Such mediation may be carried on by a person designated to act by the commission upon request of one or both of the parties or upon initiation of the commission. The function of the mediator is to encourage voluntary settlement by the parties but no mediator has the power of compulsion.

AB908,15 Section 15 . 111.70 (4) (c) 1g. of the statutes is created to read:

AB908,5,13 111.70 (4) (c) 1g. `Applicability.' This paragraph applies only to municipal employees who are engaged in law enforcement or fire fighting functions.

AB908,16 Section 16 . 111.70 (4) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,5,19 111.70 (4) (c) 2. `Arbitration.' Parties to a dispute pertaining to the meaning or application of the terms of a written collective bargaining agreement involving a collective bargaining unit containing a public safety employee may agree in writing to have the commission or any other appropriate agency serve as arbitrator or may designate any other competent, impartial and disinterested person to so serve.

AB908,17 Section 17. 111.70 (4) (c) 3. (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,6,3 111.70 (4) (c) 3. `Fact-finding.' (intro.) Unless s. 111.77 applies, if a dispute involving a collective bargaining unit containing a public safety employee has not been settled after a reasonable period of negotiation and after the settlement procedures, if any, established by the parties have been exhausted, and the parties are deadlocked with respect to any dispute between them arising in the collective bargaining process, either party, or the parties jointly, may petition the commission, in writing, to initiate fact-finding, and to make recommendations to resolve the deadlock, as follows:

AB908,18 Section 18 . 111.70 (4) (cg) of the statutes is repealed.

AB908,19 Section 19 . 111.70 (4) (cm) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB908,6,7 111.70 (4) (cm) (title) Methods for peaceful settlement of disputes; general municipal employees other personnel .

AB908,20 Section 20 . 111.70 (4) (cm) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 111.70 (4) (cm) 1m. and amended to read:

AB908,6,20 111.70 (4) (cm) 1m. `Notice of commencement of contract negotiations.' For the purpose of advising the commission of the commencement of contract negotiations involving a collective bargaining unit containing general municipal employees, whenever either party requests the other to reopen negotiations under a binding collective bargaining agreement, or the parties otherwise commence negotiations if no such agreement exists, the party requesting negotiations shall immediately notify the commission in writing. Upon failure of the requesting party to provide such notice, the other party may so notify the commission. The notice shall specify the expiration date of the existing collective bargaining agreement, if any, and shall set forth any additional information the commission may require on a form provided by the commission.

AB908,21 Section 21 . 111.70 (4) (cm) 1g. of the statutes is created to read:

AB908,6,23 111.70 (4) (cm) 1g. `Application.' a. Chapter 788 does not apply to arbitration proceedings under this paragraph.

AB908,6,25 b. This paragraph does not apply to labor disputes involving municipal employees who are engaged in law enforcement or fire fighting functions.

AB908,22 Section 22. 111.70 (4) (cm) 2., 3. and 4. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB908,7,9 111.70 (4) (cm) 2. `Presentation of initial proposals; open meetings.' The meetings between parties to a collective bargaining agreement or proposed collective bargaining agreement under this subchapter that involve a collective bargaining unit containing a general municipal employee and that are held for the purpose of presenting initial bargaining proposals, along with supporting rationale, shall be are open to the public. Each party shall submit its initial bargaining proposals to the other party in writing. Failure to comply with this subdivision is not cause to invalidate a collective bargaining agreement under this subchapter.

AB908,7,14 3. `Mediation.' The commission or its designee shall function as mediator in labor disputes involving general municipal employees upon request of one or both of the parties, or upon initiation of the commission. The function of the mediator shall be to encourage voluntary settlement by the parties. No mediator has the power of compulsion.