Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act

This bill sets basic national rules so state and local public safety workers—police, firefighters, and EMTs—can choose a union and bargain over pay, hours, and working conditions. If a majority chooses a union, the employer must recognize it and put any deal in writing. If talks hit a dead end, a neutral arbitrator can make a binding decision, and workers can enforce these rights through a state agency or in court. Public safety workers include law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services employees like EMTs and paramedics.

States that already give the same or stronger rights keep their own systems. A federal agency (the Federal Labor Relations Authority, or FLRA) will review each state, issue rules within one year where needed, run union elections, help settle bargaining disputes, and enforce orders. States that don’t meet the standards must follow the federal process starting the later of two years after the law takes effect or after the end of the next regular state legislative session . Strikes, lockouts, sickouts, or slowdowns that disrupt emergency services are banned, existing union votes and contracts stay in place, and the bill doesn’t override stricter state strike laws or state bans on forced union fees or membership in agreements .

Key points

• Who is affected: State and local police, firefighters, and EMTs/paramedics.
• What changes:
  • Right to form/join a union, have a majority-chosen union recognized, bargain over pay, hours, and working conditions, and put agreements in writing.
  • Neutral, binding arbitration if negotiations reach a deadlock.
  • No strikes, lockouts, sickouts, or slowdowns that disrupt emergency services.
  • States with equal or stronger rights keep their laws; if a state covers some public safety groups but not others, federal rules apply only to the uncovered groups .
  • States aren’t marked noncompliant just because very small towns are excluded, or because pensions, retirement, or health benefits aren’t part of bargaining.
• When:
  • FLRA must issue rules within one year where needed.
  • If a state falls short, the federal process starts the later of two years after enactment or after the next regular state legislative session ends.