Simpson - Letter to the Editor - Ardmoreite

In the Thursday March 10, 2011 issue of the Ardmoreite in an article entitled “Workers oppose proposed pension changes” a statement was made that the legislature was working to repeal collective bargaining rights for municipal employees.  The fact is Senators Holt, David, and Newberry have worked hard over the past several weeks to draft a bill that will save collective bargaining.  SB 826 amends the process of binding arbitration but does nothing to reform collective bargaining. 

Senate Bill 1173 was signed by Governor David Walters (D) in 1994 after narrow passage in the overwhelmingly Democratic legislature.  A failed House vote in April of 1994 was barely reversed in a second vote after lobbying from members of the public sector labor unions. At the time, The Oklahoman editorialized that the legislation was “a bad bill” and “not in the best interest of the people.”  

Under the binding arbitration process, stalled negotiations between local governments and labor unions over tax dollars are turned over to a panel of arbitrators.  In practice, the deciding arbitrator is almost always an out-of-state attorney selected by the federal government.  The deciding arbitrator chooses from the two positions, and any decision in favor of the labor union is legally binding unless an election is called and voters disapprove.  In practice, the election option has not proved viable in the 17 years since enactment, leaving the final decision regarding the use of tax dollars in the hands of the arbitrator. The system has left the arbitrator with the final word.   

SB 826 reforms binding arbitration through numerous changes to the process that provide a better balance of power between the taxpayers and the unions.  SB 826 levels the playing field by creating a process to arrive at the final decision that is fairer to the taxpayers.  After all they are the ones who will be handed the bill.

Oklahomans rely on their local tax dollars to fund numerous core services, such as water, sewer, trash, police and fire protection, and roads and bridges.   But the success of the labor unions during the 17-year “binding arbitration” era has forced cities and towns to make cuts in all core services

Binding arbitration has not increased the level of public safety available to Oklahomans, but actually diminished it, as cities in some cases have been forced to lay off officers to afford the salaries of those who remain.  In other instances, the raises awarded by arbitrators have consumed so much of the city budget that citizens have been asked to increase sales taxes to maintain the same level of core services.

I commend Senators Holt, David, and Newberry for their work on this bill.  They worked closely with representatives of the various unions to draft language that was acceptable to them.  This bill is the product of those negotiations.