House approves amendment expanding collective-bargaining rules, raises decertification threshold

The Vermont House on Tuesday voted to propose to the Senate amendments to S.125 that would allow supervisors employed in the judiciary to organize and bargain collectively and increase the showing-of-interest threshold required to decertify an incumbent bargaining representative from 30% to 50% plus one across the state's labor-relations statutes.

Representative Dodge (member from Essex), reporting for the committee on General and Housing, said the change would give judicial supervisors the right to organize while leaving determinations about managerial status to the Vermont Labor Relations Board. The bill deletes several workers' compensation provisions that were moved into S.117 and removes a proposed certified-payroll requirement for certain state construction projects after committee testimony raised administrative concerns.

Supporters said organizing thresholds differ for forming versus decertifying a union and cited testimony that decertification is susceptible to destabilizing tactics. Opponents on the floor argued the change makes it harder for workers to force a decertification vote. Member floor debate included extended questioning and a request that the final vote be taken by roll call.

When the clerk called the roll, the tally was 81 yeas and 51 nays; the House approved the committee-recommended amendment by that recorded vote and then ordered third reading. Representative Greer (member from Bennington) had withdrawn a separate amendment earlier after the clerk ruled it nongermane.