Numerous labor relations bills continue to move

We are tracking numerous bills that would impact labor relations. The following bills must get voted out of their respective chamber by Wednesday, February 14 or they will die.

HB 2624 and its companion bill, SB 6229, require employers to provide reasonable access of the exclusive bargaining representative to new union employees for the purpose of presenting information about the exclusive bargaining representative. The presentation may occur at an orientation or at another time mutually agreed to by the employer and the union. Access to the new employee must occur within 30 days of the employee's start date, for no less than 30 minutes, and must occur within normal working hours at the worksite unless an alternative is agreed upon.

SB 6231 changes the statute of limitations for a public union employee to file an unfair labor practices complaint in state court from two years to six months. A statute of limitations sets a timeframe for when a claim can be filed in court.

SB 6296 requires that if a union security provision exists in a collective bargaining agreement, the employer must deduct the required dues or fees from the employees' pay to transfer directly to the union. The bill does not require written authorization from the employee. If, however, the collective bargaining agreement requires deductions that are not subject to the union security provision or there is no union security provision, the bill requires written authorization from the employee before the employer may deduct the employee’s pay.