On Tuesday, lawmakers signaled the Idaho Education Association won’t be their only union target this legislative session.
Rep. Robert Beiswenger (R-Horseshoe Bend) introduced House Bill 340, which would severely restrict PFFI’s collective bargaining rights, to a packed House State Affairs Committee room. Members of PFFI, the Fraternal Order of Police, the AFL-CIO, IEA and the IEA Staff Organization filled two overflow rooms.
The bill does not target the bargaining rights of any other public-sector union, such as IEA or the Fraternal Order of Police. Fire fighters’ collective bargaining rights have been part of Idaho code since the early 1970s.
During the introduction of the bill, Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen (R-Idaho Falls) asked Rep. Beiswenger which problem the bill is designed to solve.
“This one will kind of make it so it’s a little more streamlined, a little more efficient, and so that way, you know, the fire chiefs and the elected officials can work directly to make the kind of work rules they need,” Beiswenger answered. “Where people are, what kind of equipment they’re getting, and they can make all those decisions kind of like a little more, I say, almost kind of business, kind of -ish.”
Beiswenger hinted his bill is just the first volley against PFFI and other unions’ rights.
“I mean, Utah just recently passed a bill to ban all collective bargaining, including wages,” Beiswenger said. “But we’ll leave wages in here for this one.”
As Beiswenger referenced, Utah recently banned collective bargaining by public sector unions. The move has galvanized anti-labor forces that view unions as a political threat.
“We will be paying close attention to this bill, and we support PFFI’s strong resistance to it,” said IEA Political Director Chris Parri. “Anti-union lawmakers are trying to crack down on labor as political payback — something they have said openly in meetings. PFFI members endorse both Republicans and Democrats at the ballot box, just like IEA members do. But there are plenty of legislators who have not benefitted from those endorsements who would rather punish educators and fire fighters than collaborate with them to make our communities better.”
This is at least the second bill introduced this session to target public sector unions. The House passed House Bill 98, a bill that targets IEA’s organizing efforts, local IEA affiliates’ relationships with school districts and IEA’s ability to collect dues through payroll deduction. Over the course of several hearings, lawmakers made clear they are targeting IEA because of its political advocacy on behalf of Idaho’s students, educators and public schools. It’s unclear when HB 98 will be heard in a Senate committee.
