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Committee weighs adding mediator, attorney to Vermont Labor Relations Board amid backlog concerns
Summary
The Committee on Housing in General discussed a bill to create a mediator position for the Vermont Labor Relations Board, debated expanding the mediator’s scope and confidentiality protections, and agreed to ask counsel to redraft the bill to also include an attorney position with a funding placeholder; no vote was taken.
The Committee on Housing in General met Jan. 30 to consider a bill to add a mediator to the Vermont Labor Relations Board and to discuss related staffing and budget questions. Unidentified Speaker 1 opened the meeting, said the panel would not vote on the bill that day and asked counsel, Sophie Fatney, to prepare a revised draft for further committee consideration.
Committee members focused on delays at the labor board and whether mediation alone would ease a reported backlog. “After hearing testimony yesterday, I do feel that the mediator position is important,” said Unidentified Speaker 4, arguing the board “really needs additional help.” Speaker 4 also recommended adding an additional attorney FTE alongside a mediator to reduce case backlogs.
The discussion centered on three specific instructions the committee agreed to ask counsel to draft into the next version of the bill: expand…
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