House Bill 549 

Title:

An Act to Provide Safe Workplaces for the Employees of the Commonwealth, its Independent Authorities and Other Political Subdivisions

Summary:

This legislation directs the Division of Occupational Safety of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to apply federal occupational safety and health standards as the minimum standards at any state workplace in the Commonwealth.  

Sponsor:

Representative Martin Walsh

 House Bill 744 

Title:

An Act Relative to the Group Insurance Commission

Summary:

This legislation places a M.O.S.E.S member on Group Insurance Commission as a labor representative.  

Sponsor:

Representative Martin Walsh

 House Bill 745 

Title:

An Act to Improve the Civil Service System

Summary:

This legislation prevents the Personnel Administrator from revoking the civil service list.  

Sponsor:

Representative Martin Walsh

House Bill 1402

Title:

An Act Relative to Collective Bargaining commonly known as the “Bob Pino” bill.

Summary:

Filed in response to an unjust termination, this bill will prevent the State Police Colonel from using unfettered discretion in matters relative to hiring and disciplinary matters.  

Sponsor:

Representative Jim O’Day

 House Bill 1635

Title:

An Act relative to Retirement Allowance Computation

Summary:

Amends provisions relative to the computation of retirement benefits for public employees allowing fractional portions of age to be calculated for retirement purposes (i.e. 60.5 years of age).  

Sponsor:

Representative Vincent A. Pedone

 House Bill 2435 

Title:

An Act Relative to Employment Rights of Employees of the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority

Summary:

This legislation amends the Management Rights clause at the MWRA to allow employees to bargain over assignments and promotions. The right to negotiate for assignments and promotional opportunities is an inherent right for all other employees of the Commonwealth.  

Sponsor:

Representative Christopher G. Fallon

 House Bill 2436

Title:

An Act Providing Fairness and Equity to Employees of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority

Summary:

This bill would prevent the MWRA from terminating employees without “just cause.” Presently employees can be terminated under an arbitrary and capricious standard. Just cause in terminations would provide employees protection while at the same time recognizing management’s responsibilities. Just cause is defined as malfeasance, misfeasance or dereliction of duty. Virtually every state employee is subject to a “just cause” standard of discipline.  

Sponsor:

Representative Christopher G. Fallon

 House Bill 2576

Title:

An Act Relative to Global Positioning System Technology and Public Employees

Summary:

Prohibits the state government and its political subdivisions from using Global Positioning System technology (GPS) to monitor or track their employees unless it is agreed to in a collective bargaining agreement; articulates MGL 7:52-56 as regulating the implementation and use of said technology in the absence of a collective bargaining agreement.  

Sponsor:

Representative Tackey Chan

 House Bill 3189

Title:

An Act Relative to Employees of the Commonwealth who are Required to Respond to Crime Scenes

Summary:

This Bill classifies state employees who respond to crime scenes and areas of environmental contamination, including, but not limited to those required to inspect said areas, those who work in laboratories handling biological or other dangerous materials, and those whose duties include the use of scuba gear, as members of group 2 of the contributory retirement system for public employees. 

Sponsor:

Representative Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

 House Bill 3208

Title:

An Act Relative to MWRA Employees

Summary:

This legislation subjects the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to regulations pertaining to the Pacheco Law.  

Sponsor:

Representative Christopher G. Fallon

 Senate Bill 948

Title:

An Act to Provide a Safe Workplace for Employees of the Commonwealth

Summary:

Mandates the application of federal occupational safety and health standards as minimum standards for public employees of the commonwealth and its political subdivisions; grants the Division of Occupational Safety the authority to conduct investigations and issue subpoenas relative to same; authorizes the Division to promulgate regulations and issue corrective orders

Sponsor:

Senator Marc R. Pacheco

 Senate Bill 1353

Title:

An Act Relative to the Employee Rights of Employees of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority

Summary:

This legislation amends the Management Rights clause at the MWRA to allow employees to bargain over assignment and promotions. The right to negotiate for assignments and promotional opportunities is an inherent right for all other employees of the Commonwealth.  

Sponsor:

Senator Anthony W. Petruccelli

 Senate Bill 1354

Title:

An Act Providing for Fairness and Equity for Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Employees

Summary:

This bill would prevent the MWRA from terminating employees without “just cause.” Presently employees can be terminated under an arbitrary and capricious standard. Just cause in terminations would provide employees protection while at the same time recognizing management’s responsibilities. Just cause is defined as malfeasance, misfeasance or dereliction of duty. Virtually every state employee is subject to a “just cause” standard of discipline.

Sponsor:

Senator Anthony W. Petruccelli

 Senate Bill 1368 / House Bill 2443

Title:

An Act to Provide Affordable Health Insurance Through the GIC

Summary:

Statutorily changes the percentage state employees contribute to their health insurance premiums from 25% to 15%. 

Sponsors:

Senator Mike Rush

Representative John Fresolo

 Senate Bill 1376 / House Bill 1653

Title:

An Act further regulating employee benefits (Greg Vilidnisky Legislation)

Summary:

This bill provides insurance to the families of MassDOT employees who are killed on the job.

Sponsor:

Senator Karen Spilka
Representative Chris Walsh 

 Senate Bill 1402

Title:

An Act to Resolve Collective Bargaining Disputes

Summary:

This important legislation establishes binding arbitration to resolve collective bargaining disputes.

Sponsor:

Senator Steven A. Tolman

 Senate Bill 1404 / House Bill 1654

Title:

An Act to Clarify Terms of Collective Bargaining Agreements, commonly known as “Evergreen Legislation”

Summary:

This bill is filed in response to an SJC ruling, this clarifies statute language to allow for “Evergreen Clauses” in contract negotiations.

Sponsor:

Senator Steven A. Tolman
Representative Martin Walsh 

 Senate Bill 1408 / House Bill 742

Title:

An Act Relative to Collective Bargaining

Summary:

This bill ensures that the transportation reform statute is consistent with the negotiated collective bargaining agreement to implement transportation reform, which brings 11 individual unions under the MassDOT umbrella.

Sponsor:

Senator Steven A. Tolman
Representative Martin Walsh 

 Senate Bill 1597

Title:

An Act to Promote Safety, Efficiency and Accountability in Transportation Projects Through Public Inspections

Summary:

Modeled after federal legislation, this bill requires public employees conduct inspections of all public construction projects.  

Sponsor:

Senator Michael O. Moore

 Senate Bill 1608

Title:

An Act Relative to MWRA Employees

Summary:

Subjects the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to provisions regulating the hiring of private contractors by public and governmental entities.  

Sponsor:

Senator Marc R. Pacheco 

Senate Bill 1868

Title:

An Act Providing for an Early Retirement Incentive for State Employees

Summary:

Directs the state board of retirement to establish and implement a retirement incentive for public employees in groups 1 and 2 of the contributory retirement system for public employees; authorizes eligible employees to request and receive a combination of years creditable service and age up to a sum of five; requires said employees to retire within twelve months of enactment of said provisions.  

Sponsor:

Senator Steven A. Tolman

 Senate Docket 1884

Title:

An Act Authorizing Certain Public Employees Creditable Retirement Service

Summary:

This legislation grants state employees who completed 10 or more years as a volunteer for the Peace Corps, Vista, the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, or the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration up to, but not more than 5 years of creditable service.  

Sponsor:

Senator Jamie Eldridge

2011-2012 Bills to Oppose

 House Bill 35 

Title:

An Act Providing for Additional Pension Reform and Benefits Modernization

Summary:

This bill continues to penalize career state employees in the pension system, increasing the amount that career employees pay into their pensions to almost 150%, by extending the retirement age to 67, dropping the age factors for employees eligible for retirement, requiring an average of the top five earning years instead of the top three, and eliminating section 10 benefits that function as a safety net for employees of more than 20 years working for the state whose jobs are eliminated.

Sponsor:

Governor Deval Patrick