PRINTER'S NO. 2149
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1623
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY KNOWLES, METCALFE, McGINNIS, RYAN, EVANKOVICH,
ROAE, SCHEMEL, GROVE, WARD, B. MILLER AND BLOOM,
JUNE 26, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 26, 2017
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), entitled
"An act establishing rights in public employes to organize
and bargain collectively through selected representatives;
defining public employes to include employes of nonprofit
organizations and institutions; providing compulsory
mediation and fact-finding, for collective bargaining
impasses; providing arbitration for certain public employes
for collective bargaining impasses; defining the scope of
collective bargaining; establishing unfair employe and
employer practices; prohibiting strikes for certain public
employes; permitting strikes under limited conditions;
providing penalties for violations; and establishing
procedures for implementation," in representation, further
providing for exclusive representation; and making related
repeals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 603(a) and (d) and 606 of the act of
July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the Public Employe
Relations Act, are amended to read:
Section 603. (a) A public employe, a group of public
employes or an employe organization may notify the public
employer that thirty per cent or more of the public employes in
an appropriate unit desire to be [exclusively] represented for
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collective bargaining purposes by a designated representative
and request the public employer to consent to an election.
* * *
(d) If a public employer receives notification that thirty
per cent or more of the public employes desire to be
[exclusively] represented for collective bargaining purposes by
a designated representative and the party giving notice does not
thereafter seek an election the public employer may file a
petition for the same with the board. The board shall then
follow the procedures as established for petitions filed under
subsection (c) of this section.
Section 606. Representatives selected by public employes in
a unit appropriate for collective bargaining purposes shall be
the exclusive representative of [all the employes in such unit]
the unit's members to bargain on wages, hours, terms and
conditions of employment[: Provided, That any]. Any individual
employe or a group of employes shall have the right at any time
to present grievances to their employer and to have them
adjusted without the intervention of the bargaining
representative [as long as the adjustment is not inconsistent
with the terms of a collective bargaining contract then in
effect: And, provided further, That the bargaining
representative has been given an opportunity to be present at
such adjustment].
Section 2. Repeals are as follows:
(1) The General Assembly declares that the repeals under
paragraphs (2) and (3) are necessary to effectuate the
amendment of sections 603(a) and (d) and 606 of the act.
(2) Section 2215 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177,
No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, is
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repealed.
(3) The act of June 2, 1993 (P.L.45, No.15), known as
the Public Employee Fair Share Fee Law, is repealed.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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