Bill Text: PA HR377 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Establishing a special subcommittee of the Labor Relations Committee to study school strikes.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 19-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-06-25 - Referred to LABOR RELATIONS [HR377 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR377-Introduced.html

---

PRINTER'S NO. 2297
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 377 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY BOBACK, BEAR, BROOKS, CLYMER, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, HELM, KORTZ, MAJOR, McILVAINE SMITH, MILLARD, MOUL, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, REICHLEY, SANTARSIERO, SONNEY, SWANGER, TALLMAN AND VULAKOVICH, JUNE 25, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, JUNE 25, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Establishing a special subcommittee of the Labor Relations
Committee to study school strikes.
WHEREAS, School employee strikes have a disruptive effect on
the school calendar, affecting athletic and extracurricular
schedules, school holidays, family vacations and family child
care arrangements, and they strain relationships within the
community and the school district; and
WHEREAS, Article XI-A of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, regulates the
collective bargaining process between public school districts
and their employees; and
WHEREAS, Although Article XI-A of the Public School Code of
1949 has reduced the number of teacher strikes since its
implementation, there are still too many ongoing collective
bargaining disputes which lead to strikes by public school
employees; and
WHEREAS, It has been difficult for either chamber of the
General Assembly to reach a consensus on how to amend Article
XI-A of the Public School Code of 1949 to reduce or end school
strikes, as evidenced by the fact that neither chamber has
passed a legislative proposal to reduce teacher strikes since
the 1995-1996 session; and
WHEREAS, Numerous legislative proposals have been introduced
since 1995, and there have been occasional public hearings on
various proposals, but neither body has been able to reach a
consensus on any of these proposals; and
WHEREAS, In order to reach a consensus on any proposal to
reduce or end public school strikes, that proposal will have to
be the result of a bipartisan effort; and
WHEREAS, There has been no bipartisan task force or
subcommittee in the recent past established to examine changes
to the current collective bargaining process; and
WHEREAS, A need exists for a comprehensive, bipartisan effort
by the House of Representatives to examine the current state of
the collective bargaining process as it relates to the
Commonwealth's public schools and for a bipartisan review of the
various proposals that have been offered to attempt to improve
this process; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Labor Relations Committee of the House of
Representatives establish the Subcommittee on School Strikes to
study to issue of school strikes in order to recommend
improvements to current law or viable alternatives, both
legislative and nonlegislative, to curtail the negative effects
of these strikes on the welfare of the students of this
Commonwealth's public schools, on the entire educational process
and on the communities of this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee conduct public hearings and
20090HR0377PN2297 - 2 -
working panels to actively solicit input from around this
Commonwealth from the general public and interest groups; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee, in the course of this study,
consult with individuals recognized as experts in the field of
public sector labor relations; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee report to the House of
Representatives with its recommendations, including a specific
bipartisan legislative proposal, by September 1, 2009.
20090HR0377PN2297 - 3 -