House Labor holds bills for study; hears hours, wage‑recovery, heat‑safety, labor‑relations and other testimony

The House Committee on Labor opened its first session and voted to hold the bills on its agenda for further study, then heard extended testimony on a slate of labor and workplace measures.

Committee members voted 9–0 to place the evening’s bills on hold for additional review, a procedural motion the chair said would allow staff and members to consider written and oral testimony before taking substantive action. The committee then heard about three hours of testimony on measures addressing the definition of “employee” under the State Labor Relations Act, limits on correctional‑officer workdays and overtime pay, a construction‑industry paycheck recovery proposal, protections for workers in extreme heat and cold, and other bills.

Why it matters: The bills would affect how Rhode Island enforces collective‑bargaining rights, how some public‑safety and construction workers are scheduled and paid, and how employers manage worker safety during extreme temperatures. Witnesses for and against the proposals included labor union leaders, union members who are student employees, business groups, contractors and public‑safety representatives. Several witnesses urged collaboration to refine language before the committee acts; others urged the committee to defer pending further study.

State Labor Relations Act changes (H 5187) Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL‑CIO, told the committee H 5187 is “the top legislative priority for the Rhode Island labor movement this year.” He said the bill has two parts: a policy change to clarify who is an employee under state law so that certain private‑sector workers (notably student employees) would retain coverage if federal jurisdiction changes; and operational changes to modernize board procedures, including electronic filings, multilingual ballots and the ability to seek injunctions and attorney‑fee awards to deter repeat violations. Union attorneys testifying added that injunctive relief and civil penalties would give the State Labor Relations Board “teeth” to stop harmful unilateral employer actions while cases proceed.

Supporters said the bill would protect graduate student workers and other categories whose federal coverage may be in flux; critics and several committee members asked for more work on how hearing officers and investigators would be structured so the board’s independence is preserved. Patrick Crowley and other union witnesses said they are willing to negotiate language before the committee moves forward.

Correctional officers: workday, overtime (H 5073) Richard Pritchard (identified in testimony as president of the Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers) testified in support of H 5073, which would set a maximum daily work period for peace officers and establish a double‑time‑and‑a‑half penalty rate for violations. Pritchard described chronic understaffing at the Department of Corrections, academy classes that fell short of targets (he said a recent class trimmed from 40 to 27 recruits) and a recruiting/retention gap that leaves officers repeatedly assigned overtime. He told the committee that officers can be ordered to work repeated consecutive shifts — he described four consecutive 8‑hour shifts (32 hours) as common — and said the bill is intended to create disincentives to forced overuse of current staff and prompt agencies to address staffing and compensation structures.

Supporters framed H 5073 as a safety and staffing measure; members asked whether the bill’s penalties could increase costs without guaranteeing new hiring. Witnesses urged parallel action on recruitment, step schedules and retirement/compensation comparisons with nearby agencies.

Construction paycheck recovery (H 5366) Representative Miriam‑Maria Morales described H 5366 as the “Construction Industry Paycheck Recovery Act.” The bill would allow workers who are not paid by a subcontractor to seek recovery from the prime contractor through an administrative or civil process and would bar contractors from using private waivers to escape liability (except waiver by collective bargaining agreement). Morales said the bill is modeled on joint‑liability protections that exist in prevailing‑wage law and in other states.

Labor and contractor witnesses described repeated cases where lower‑tier subcontractors left workers unpaid and had no assets for recovery. Ben Branchaud (Carpenters Local 330) and carpenters’ representatives recounted recent examples of workers left unpaid and said felony penalties alone do not restore wages to unpaid employees. Industry groups and some contractor witnesses expressed concern that, as drafted, the bill could impose strict liability on prime contractors and asked for guardrails; proponents said the draft includes cure periods and a private right of action against subcontractors and that further technical amendments to preserve remedies while protecting bona fide general contractors are possible.

Extreme‑temperature employee protections (H 5305) Representative Morales also introduced H 5305, the Extreme Temperatures Employee Protection Act, which would require employers to provide certain protections when workplace temperatures rise above 90°F or fall to 32°F and below. The bill would require PPE, paid rest breaks, training, and makes provision for cooling stations and insulation where applicable; the Department of Health (Division of Occupational Safety) would implement an online training program to support compliance.

Supporters — including Teamsters and the Rhode Island AFL‑CIO — argued the bill responds to heat‑exposure deaths and growing climate risks for outdoor, warehouse and vehicle‑based workers. Opponents, including several business groups and industry associations, said many employers already follow OSHA guidance, that the bill’s one‑size‑fits‑all approach could be costly or impractical for some warehouses or lumber yards, and that delegation of regulatory details to a state agency needs clarification. Business witnesses cited concerns about open‑bay warehouse operations (where climate control may be impractical) and about enforcement burden and litigation risk for small employers.

Other bills and topics heard - H 5047 (Warehouse Worker Protection Act): Teamsters representatives supported language limiting or clarifying quota‑driven discipline and the safety risks of production quotas in distribution centers; committee members asked for data from DLT on injury rates and existing enforcement. - H 5132 (Workplace harassment/bullying): Representative Lombardi introduced a bill that would create private remedies and civil penalties for severe workplace psychological abuse; business groups and chambers warned the bill’s definitions are broad, could spawn litigation and overlap with workers’‑compensation and existing anti‑discrimination law. - H 5188 (corrosion prevention enforcement): The committee heard from trade groups and labor on enforcement authority for certified coatings/corrosion work; supporters said certification and DLT enforcement would protect infrastructure. - H 5028 (prevailing wage clarification): Representative Edwards introduced language to close perceived loopholes for certain quasi‑public entities; union and contractor witnesses signaled support for clarification.

Committee action and next steps The committee’s initial procedural vote — to hold the bills for further study — passed unanimously, 9–0. Committee members repeatedly asked that bill sponsors and stakeholders meet to refine definitions, carveouts and administrative processes before formal marking up. Several witnesses volunteered to work with staff to clarify language on investigators/hearing officers at the State Labor Relations Board, carveouts for public employees under certain safety bills, and safeguards that address bona fide general‑contractor concerns in the wage‑recovery measure.

Quotes - "This is the top legislative priority for the Rhode Island labor movement this year," Patrick Crowley, president, Rhode Island AFL‑CIO. - "My stipend will be, dollars 53,500," Michael Ziegler, PhD candidate and president of Local 6516 at Brown University, describing income increases his union has won through collective bargaining. - "We're hemorrhaging," Richard Pritchard, president, Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers, describing recruitment and retention shortfalls at the Department of Corrections. - "Every single thing changed to the law in this bill is to favor one side," Bob Goldberg, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, opposing H 5187 amendments that he said favor unions.

Ending Committee members closed the evening by noting the bills are works in progress and agreed to post the language for amendment. Sponsors and witnesses on both sides said they would continue to negotiate changes and provide data requested by members before the committee considers substantive votes.