Bill to shine new light on collective bargaining gets committee approval

Collective bargaining sessions between public employees and government entities would be open to the public under a bill headed to the House floor after committee approval Wednesday, The Times-Picayune reports. While Rep. Tony Ligi, the author of House Bill 89, argued that the measure would protect taxpayers and allow greater scrutiny of labor contracts, union officials lined up to denounce the bill as an attack on organized labor and noted the same committee had expanded confidentiality for economic development discussions between state and businesses earlier in the day. “This is a taxpayer protection act in the context of the open meetings law,” said Ligi, R-Metairie, who referred to the bill as a way to close loopholes in the system. Ligi first proposed opening contract-negotiating sessions last year, after outgoing members of the Jefferson Parish School Board unsuccessfully pushed to ratify a contract before their terms ended in 2010. That bill never made it out of committee, but Wednesday members of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-2 to move it to the floor. Union and government representatives are now allowed to negotiate privately, but elected officials are required to vote on the contracts at a public meeting. “This piece of legislation is blatantly attacking unions statewide,” said Ed Parker with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who noted state contracts are already open to the public. A number of business and media groups are supporting the bill. Read the full story here.