Nevada Faculty Alliance State President Kent Ervin on Thursday announced that the NFA's bill to secure collective bargaining rights for NSHE professional employees cleared the review by the Legislative Council Bureau and was introduced as Assembly Bill 224. Assemblywoman Sarah Peters is the bill's champion and has attracted nearly 30 cosponsors from both parties. This bipartisan support will be critical for the bill's final passage and to reach Governor Lombardo's desk.
The next steps in the process include a hearing in the Assembly Committee for Government affairs. Ervin encourages TMCC-NFA members to show their support of AB 224 by showing up at the State Legislative Building in Carson City between 8:00 and 11:00 AM on Thursday, March 9.
For institutions like TMCC that already have collective bargaining rights, this bill will move authority from the Board of Regents to the State of Nevada, allowing the 8,000 NSHE professional employees to join their public employee peers from other agencies with the rights defined in state law. It gives us access to procedures and process for dispute resolution that are available to other state employees, but not NSHE professionals. These processes ensure neutrality in the resolution process and will dramatically reduce the need for litigation.
Prior to the bill advancing this week, the TMCC Faculty Senate overwhelmingly voted on February 10 in favor of a resolution stating its support of the Collective Bargaining Bill, which at the time was known as BDR 155.
The resolution approved by the Faculty Senate reads:
The TMCC Faculty Senate emphatically supports BDR 155, known as the Collective Bargaining for NSHE Professional Employees Bill. We recommend that the Board of Regents support the bill and urge its passage by the Legislature of the State of Nevada during its 2023 general session.
Therefore, be it resolved by this body, that a statement of our emphatic support of BDR 155 be put into writing and a copy of said statement be dispatched to all voting members who will consider supporting its passage.
TMCC Faculty Senate Chair Amy Cavanaugh is sending the resolution to Acting Chancellor Dale Erquiaga, emailing it to each member of the Board of Regents, and will read it out loud during Public Comment at the Board's special meeting on March 3. At a special meeting of the Board on February 3, TMCC-NFA representatives joined other NFA members from across the state and made public comments encouraging the Board's official support. Five Regents voiced their support for the bill during a discussion of legislative items. More faculty voices at the next meeting will help move the needle in favor of the bill and we encourage members to make public comment or submit written comments.
You can stay up to date on all NFA legislative efforts by signing up for the NFA Legislative Action Team.
For more information on AB 224, please see the summary page here.
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