For Immediate Release
Oklahoma Democratic Party
March 17, 2011

Republicans Limit Collective Bargaining Rights For Middle Class



What is it, exactly, that Oklahoma House Republicans have against the middle class?

Two bills affecting the collective bargaining rights of public employees were debated in the State House last night. House Bill 1576, authored by Rep. Scott Martin (R-Norman), would eliminate binding arbitration on collective bargaining. The bill ultimately failed with a vote of 46 yeas and 53 nays.

The second bill to be debated on the House floor was House Bill 1593, authored by Rep. Steve Martin (R-Bartlesville) and Sen. Cliff Aldridge (R-Midwest City), which would repeal the Oklahoma Municipal Employee Collective Bargaining Act. The measures of this bill would repeal a 2004 law, signed by Brad Henry, that allows non-uniform employees in cities with a population of 35,000 or more to form unions. This bill will affect 13 cities in Oklahoma. House Bill 1593 passed with a vote of 59 yeas and 38 nays.

Rep. Eric Proctor (D-Tulsa) strongly opposed the bill. Proctor said, “This bill says that city employees can not collectively bargain for better wages and benefits... This bill is part of a national attack against a group that built the middle class of this country.”

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman, Todd Goodman, said, “The Republicans ran on creating jobs in Oklahoma and instead they are focusing on anything but, this bill does nothing to create jobs and only serves to weaken a middle class that is already overburdened.”