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Collective bargain vote today?

As Mark reports, action is anticipated on a measure in the Senate that would mandate collective bargaining rights for public safety employees.

Last night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who previously introduced a separate bill, proposed an amendment to an appropriations bill to accomplish his collective bargaining objective.

As I've written before, this would override North Carolina law, which prohibits collective bargaining by all public employees.

North Carolina business and government groups, including the League of Municipalities and Chamber of Commerce, strongly oppose the measure and believe Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan will provide a key vote.

During her 2008 campaign, she told us she would never vote for such a measure. Sticking to that now will require her to go against her leader in the Senate.

A potential vote on cloture will be important, however. Observers say Reid's measure will have at least 51 votes but maybe not the 60 needed to proceed to a final vote. If Hagan votes for cloture, allowing the measure to advance, it probably won't matter if she votes against the measure itself; she will have enabled it to pass, according to opponents of collective bargaining.

To protect North Carolina's position on this issue, she should do everything she can to stop the measure.

We may know more later today.

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Posted by Doug Clark on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 10:03 am

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Doug Johnson

May 25, 2010 - 6:04 pm EDT

What do you think about the SEIU going and standing on a man's porch protesting.
Seems the Maryland and DC police department, thought it was ok.
I sure I get my money worth out of Wednesday paper, I bet Allen Johnson will be all over this.

Doug

May 25, 2010 - 8:08 pm EDT

This statement was sent from Sen. Hagan's office late this afternoon:

“This amendment would mandate that states allow collective bargaining for state government employees. This is a states’ rights issue, and I believe it should be left up to the states to decide.”

Also from her office: "If there were a cloture vote on a standalone bill, Senator Hagan would vote against it."

Good for her. That's the right stance.

rhenderson58

May 26, 2010 - 12:24 pm EDT

Not so fast, Doug. Hagan said she would not support cloture for a standalone bill. She did not say she would oppose cloture if it were attached to another bill as an amendment, which is what Reid is doing here. So Hagan still hasn't said what she'll do if Reid follows through. Sneaky, very sneaky.

Doug

May 26, 2010 - 12:46 pm EDT

There's been a delay in bringing this up for a vote.

While you're correct that the statement leaves room for maneuvering, it would appear outright deceptive now if Hagan voted in any way to advance the bill.

Doug

May 26, 2010 - 2:10 pm EDT

Further clarification on the point raised above.

Sen. Hagan's legislative director, Mike Harney, sent the following to Eddie Caldwell of the N.C. Sheriff's Association: "You guys are reading too much into this. There's no parsing going on here - she's against the bill (or amendment) and is against cloture, period.

"There won't be a cloture vote on the current amendment because a point of order stands against it. I won't bore you with the procedural ins and outs, but suffice it to say that there's no reason for you to be anything but happy with her position."

Andrew Clark

May 26, 2010 - 2:21 pm EDT

The NC law puzzles me. Isn't that a First Amendment violation?

Doug

May 26, 2010 - 2:28 pm EDT

No, because technically it does not ban collective bargaining. It just says that any contracts or agreements reached with any union, labor organization or bargaining agent for public employees are "against the public policy of the state, illegal, unlawful, void and of no effect."

Andrew Clark

May 27, 2010 - 12:23 pm EDT

How can it be illegal for public employees to have a bargaining agent? Doesn't the state government get one? Sounds like to be fair state employees should each get to negotiate personally with the governor. That law belongs in the Soviet Union, not the U.S.

Doug

May 27, 2010 - 12:32 pm EDT

It's not illegal for public employees to have a bargaining agent. It's illegal to reach a bargain.

North Carolina doesn't want public employees bargaining against the public.

Andrew Clark

May 27, 2010 - 12:53 pm EDT

That makes no sense. It's like saying you have a right to an attorney, but the verdict reached at a trial when you have a lawyer present is void.

Doug

May 27, 2010 - 1:04 pm EDT

It works just fine for us.

Doug Johnson

May 26, 2010 - 2:58 pm EDT

Hagan supports states rights?
What about her sttance on the Arizona bill?
Looks like I would have lost my bet on Allen Johnson, going after the SEIU.
Shame this was not Tea Party folks, the N@R would have had a story.

Doug

May 26, 2010 - 3:09 pm EDT

What about her stance on the Arizona bill? I haven't heard that she has one. Have you?

I have no idea what you're talking about in regard to SEIU.

tonymo

May 26, 2010 - 3:12 pm EDT

My bet is that the "moderate" Hagan will, again, vote against the people, as she has with every vote so far, and for her radical senate leader, who fronts for our radical presdient who apparently wants to turn every state into California, which is being bankrupted by public service unions.

Isn't our unemployemt high enough yet to suit Hagan! Bringing in theese thoroughly corrupted public sector unions will be the end of our state. Anyone who believes that Hagan represents any interest other than her radical party's is slow on the uptake!

Doug

May 26, 2010 - 3:27 pm EDT

Typical Tony. She says she's voting against it, and you attack her as if she voted for it.

If she does vote for it, it will prove she has no integrity.

If she does vote against it, it will prove you have no integrity.

We'll see.

tonymo

May 26, 2010 - 3:26 pm EDT

Anyone who believes it is a good idea to allow the thugs at SEIU to garner strength in this "right to work" state needs to read the following:
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/535018/201005241913/Mob...

This tells of the mob like tactics of this group of thugs, sanctioned by Obama. Andy Stern, who told us that "Workers of the world unite is no longerjust a slogan," was the most frequent overnight visitor to the White House in Obama's first year heading the regime!

Andrew Clark

May 27, 2010 - 12:21 pm EDT

There are roughly ten times as many violent acts committed against unions and workers trying to unionize as are committed by unions or workers trying to unionize. I'm glad Obama met with Andy Stern a lot, but he's hardly been a pro union president. Labor hasn't really gotten anything out of this administration except a small tweak to the HCR law. This law, if passed, would be the first bone he's thrown them.