Obstruction Watch: Senate Kills Public Safety Bargaining Bill

Fifty-five Senators voted to have a full discussion and debate on a bill to give public safety officers collective bargaining rights.

But under the current Senate rules, a majority just isn’t enough. That majority vote couldn’t overcome the 40 Republicans and three Democrats who killed the bill by not allowing it to be debated by the full Senate. All Republicans plus Democrats Mark Warner (Va.), Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Michael Bennet (Colo.) voted against full discussion of the bill.

CWA’s National Coalition of Public Safety Officers represents about 22,000 law enforcement and public safety officers nationwide, many in the 25 states that deny public workers any bargaining rights or voice on the job. CWAers generated thousands of personal letters and phone calls to Senate offices.

“This is a tragic loss for all of us and especially for our public safety professionals,” CWA Legislative Director Shane Larson said. “It is especially egregious that all the Republicans – even the Republican cosponsors of the actual bill – voted to prevent the bill from coming up for debate and a yes or no vote. This is why we need to reform the Senate rules.”