Mayors take stand against perpetual contracts bill
Administrators slam it as catastrophic for taxpayers, but House passes measure
WARWICK — A coalition of Democratic and Republican mayors from across the state united on Thursday to express their staunch opposition to collective bargaining legislation in the House that they argued would unfairly benefit unions in contract negotiations while negatively impacting local taxpayers.
Members of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns convened in Warwick City Hall on Thursday morning, a week after the bipartisan group of mayors and town administrators penned a letter calling on House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello and Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio to work with them to “promote labor negotiations that foster a good working relationship between management and employees and that are fair to all.”
The bill, introduced in the House by Democratic State Reps. Camille Vella-Wilkinson, Moira Walsh, and Robert Jacquard, would require that the “contractual provisions contained in an otherwise expired collective bargaining agreement with certified school teachers and
municipal employees would continue until a successor agreement has been reached between the parties.”
The bill was approved on a 58-12 vote late yesterday afternoon, WPRI-12 reported, after the House Labor Committee revised it to exclude layoff clauses from the provisions that will remain in force.
The act was introduced in committee on March 1, and last week was recommended for passage.
Democratic Cumberland Mayor William Murray called it a “very dangerous bill” that he and his fellow local leaders were opposing on Thursday.
“To be able to handcuff any of the mayors or town administrators who are trying to keep the taxes low, now you take the ability in managing the finances away from these people,” he said. “You might as well give the key of the building to the unions.”
“Now if this bill goes through, it takes all negotiations out,” Murray said. “But if health care goes out of the stratosphere, what’s going to happen if this bill goes through, is we’ll have no say to pull it back to do anything because what would be the interest for any negotiations on the union side?”
“There’s not going to be any give, it’s all going to be take,” Murray said. “And I think it’s dangerous because it’s going to cost the taxpayers extra money … Why add another burden to the towns?”
Murray said that the issue had united Republican and Democratic leaders from around Rhode Island to cross party lines and work together in opposition.
“It tells you that it affects everybody, whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, it doesn’t matter,” Murray said.
Vella-Wilkinson defended the bill on Thursday afternoon, saying she believed it offers positives.
“I feel it's a good bill for both parties, it encourages them to negotiate in good faith and keep an eye for the future,” Vella-Wilkinson said.
Brian Daniels, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, said that the proposed legislation threatens city and town budgets, undermining the control of a municipality’s elected leaders. The “automatic extension,” he said “creates an imbalanced system” which benefits the unions but negatively impacts taxpayers.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo on Thursday said she also has concerns about the legislation.
“I've heard from the mayors who tell me that it could cost cities and towns and property taxpayers more money so obviously that concerns me,” Raimondo said. “It's weaving its way through the legislature and I'll see what finally winds up on my desk.”
However, she stopped short of confirming she'd veto the legislation if it is approved.
Additionally, the city and town leaders on Thursday spoke out against legislation that they feel would expand disability benefits, costing taxpayers millions.
The act, they said, would require heart disease among firefighters to be presumed a “line of duty injury,” with no ability to take length of service, tobacco use, or relevant medical evidence into account when granting a disability pension.
The bill in the House, would “create a work disabling presumption for any firefighter who passed a physical examination upon entry into service and who later contracts disabling hypertension, stroke, or heart disease.”
Daniels on Thursday said that an actuarial analysis prepared by the General Treasurer shows that the legislation would cost $7.1 million per year for cities and towns.
in the state-run pension system, with locally-managed communities likely to see higher costs as well.
That legislation was introduced on March 9 and referred to the House Labor Committee. As of Thursday, it was still scheduled for consideration.
Republican Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian said that contract sessions in his city include decisions that are made based on what’s right for his community. But having that stripped away, he said, would eliminate local control.
He said that he knows his administration and unions can come to agreements on their own and called on those within the walls of the State House to “let us do our job and let us reach an agreement instead of saddling us with another requirement from the state.”
“Local control is the best control,” Avedisian said.
Democratic Johnston Mayor Joesph M. Polisena said the so-called “evergreen clause” is actually “a lifetime perpetual contract.” He said that if approved at the State House, the bill would attenuate the power of taxpayers, saying it was a “bad piece of legislation.”