House committee debates raising petition threshold, managerial exclusions in H.125 on collective bargaining

The House General and Housing Committee on Wednesday heard extended testimony on H.125, a bill that would raise the threshold of employee support required to trigger a union certification or decertification election and includes provisions affecting managerial and supervisory classifications for certain judiciary employees.

The measure would change the current petition standard — which witnesses said is commonly 30 percent for filing with the Vermont Labor Relations Board — to a higher threshold (committee discussion referenced 50 percent and 55 percent as possible figures). The change drew detailed questions about card-check certification, decertification procedures, blackout periods and how the State Employee Labor Relations Act applies to higher-education employees.

Supporters of the existing 30 percent filing standard and several witnesses warned the change would make it harder for employees to exercise representation choices and could entrench incumbent representation. "I don't know why we would make it more difficult for, employees to exercise their rights in deciding who who represents them," said Christopher Hoare, president of the Vermont Police Association and state representative for the New England Police Benevolent Association, who testified for labor interests.…