Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 10, 2023 04:06 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Dan L. Miller and Rep. Emily Kinkead |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Updating the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board for the 21st Century |
| The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) was created in 1937 and its jurisdiction over public-sector employees was enacted in 1970. We have seen many technological improvements since that time. This legislation seeks to update the PLRB’s administrative systems to make it easier for covered employees to file unfair labor practice charges, election petitions, and authorization cards—similar to the ability to file online for unemployment claims or workers’ compensation. This legislation does not attempt to change the substance of any of these filings, only to allow for them to be filed and processed electronically. Specifically, our bill would amend the Public Employe Relations Act (PERA) to: 1. Update the PLRB website, practices, and procedures to allow for secure electronic filing of all petitions, charges, requests, and other documents, including charges of unfair labor practices and petitions for an election under PERA; and 2. Accept electronic versions of authorization cards for the purposes of determining a showing of interest to move forward with an election. These adjustments would not only increase the ease with which parties can initiate PERA proceedings, but also provide a streamlined procedure by which documents are received and filed, as well as reducing the time and effort expended in scanning documents. PLRB staff would be able to devote more time to substantive case-handling matters. These changes would also make PLRB procedures more consistent with the filing requirements of Commonwealth courts, most federal courts, and the NLRB. Please join us in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB947