Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that authorizes collective bargaining for public employees in Virginia.

Highlights:

• Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees (Sec. 1).

• Requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the Virginia Home Care Council within the Department of Medical Assistance Services to promote the stability of the individual provider workforce in the Commonwealth and tasks the Council with serving as the public employer of individual providers for purposes of collective bargaining pursuant to the bill's provisions (Sec. 1).

• Repeals a provision that declares that in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Department of Labor and Industry to promulgate any regulations necessary to enact the bill's provisions by July 1, 2028, and provides that upon the establishment of the Public Employee Relations Board, such regulations shall be transferred to the Board (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that until such regulations are adopted, no petitions or elections shall take place pursuant to the bill's provisions except pursuant to an ordinance or resolution adopted under current law (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that authorizes collective bargaining for public employees in Virginia.

Highlights:

• Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees (Sec. 1).

• Requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the Virginia Home Care Council within the Department of Medical Assistance Services to promote the stability of the individual provider workforce in the Commonwealth and tasks the Council with serving as the public employer of individual providers for purposes of collective bargaining pursuant to the bill's provisions (Sec. 1).

• Repeals a provision that declares that in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot is a fundamental right that shall be guaranteed from infringement (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Department of Labor and Industry to promulgate any regulations necessary to enact the bill's provisions by July 1, 2028, and provides that upon the establishment of the Public Employee Relations Board, such regulations shall be transferred to the Board (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that until such regulations are adopted, no petitions or elections shall take place pursuant to the bill's provisions except pursuant to an ordinance or resolution adopted under current law (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text