By Saengmany Ratsabout
Dear Sisters, Brother, and Kin,
We would like to share some information concerning new proposed labor legislation in the state legislature. The legislation is HF 1522 and it is authored by Representatives Michael Nelson, Emma Greenman, and Sydney Jordan. This bill has Minnesota labor leaders excited due to its worker-friendly proposed changes to the current state labor laws. The bill modifies the Public Employment Labor Relations Act (PELRA). HF 1522 directly requires collective bargaining over additional issues, such as class size and staffing ratios. The bill modifies the definition of “public employee” to allow temporary or seasonal school district or charter school employees to be counted as a “public employee” for the purposes of collective bargaining. Workers hired by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as the instructor of one class for more than three credits in a fiscal year, or two or more credit bearing classes in a fiscal year will additionally be treated as a “public employee” for collective bargaining purposes.
The bill also modifies the teacher probationary period to 3 years and provides eligibility for tenure or a continuing contract to community education and early childhood and family education teachers. Public employers will be required to provide unions additional information for the unions to reach out to workers, as well as the right to meet newly hired employees within 30 calendar days from the date of hire. Public employers will be required to give reasonable time off to elected or appointed officials of a union affiliate to conduct union duties. HF 1522 will also provide unions with the right to meet with bargaining unit members on the premises of the public employer during the workday to investigate and discuss grievances and other workplace issues. The bill would create the right of unions to conduct worksite meetings during lunch and other breaks, and before and after the workday, on the public employer’s premises to discuss workplace issues, collective bargaining, the administration of agreements, and other matters related to the duties of an exclusive representative, provided the use does not interfere with governmental operations. HF 1522 is moving its way through the legislature and still has time to be workshopped, but the proposals included in the bill have labor advocated looking forward to what is to come.
To follow the bill and read the text yourself, click this link:
ESFL is unabashed in our mission—”to inspire solidarity, work for justice, and advocate for
equity for all.” We look forward to sharing additional information concerning state labor law
developments.