http://www.omaha.com/article/20110120/NEWS01/701209835/1101655#bills-strike-at-state-labor-panelPublished Thursday January 20, 2011
By Martha Stoddard
WORLD-HERALD BuREAU
LINCOLN — Nebraska’s Commission of Industrial Relations came under attack in several bills introduced in the Legislature on Wednesday.
The proposals ranged from eliminating the commission while still barring public employee strikes to limiting the commission’s authority over Douglas County labor disputes.
Those were among 155 bills and five proposed constitutional amendments tossed into the legislative hopper on the last day of bill introduction for the 2011 session. In all, lawmakers have introduced 698 bills and 11 constitutional amendments this year.
Business leaders and local government officials have made reforming the CIR a top priority this year. Under state law, the commission resolves labor disputes between public employees unions and state or local governments. The process has been blamed for steep increases in government expenses.
But labor groups say the CIR has been made a scapegoat for government budget problems.
Snip. This one: LB 664 would bar public employees from going on strike or engaging in a work slowdown and would prohibit state and local governments from recognizing employees unions. The measure also would abolish the CIR. Sen. John Nelson of Omaha, who introduced the bill, last week proposed a state constitutional amendment that would prohibit collective bargaining by governments.
FULL story including all CIR bills introduced yesterday at link.
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