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June 11, 2007 -- Within the next few weeks, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to cast the first recorded vote in its history on granting fire fighters collective bargaining rights. The Committee on Education and Labor is working toward scheduling Committee action this month, followed by a vote in the full House of Representatives.

“This is truly historic” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “We have been fighting for collective bargaining rights for fire fighters for more than half a century and are finally on the verge of getting the vote we rightfully deserve.”

The closest Congress ever came to voting on fire fighter bargaining rights was in 2001, when senators opposed the bill waged a filibuster to prevent a Senate vote on the IAFF proposal. Unable to muster the necessary super majority to end the filibuster, sponsors of the bargaining bill were forced to withdraw the bill.

HR 980, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, currently enjoys the support of a majority of the members of the Education and Labor Committee, as well as a majority of the full House of Representatives. Opponents of the legislation are expected to unveil a full-scale assault against the bill in the coming days, but barring large-scale reversals, the legislation is poised to be adopted by a wide margin.

“The broad, bipartisan support for HR 980 is really a testament to the extraordinary work of fire fighters across the nation,” Schaitberger says. “I am especially pleased to see so many local IAFF leaders in states that already have collective bargaining working tirelessly to assist their less fortunate brothers and sisters.”

The stage for the upcoming vote was set on June 5, when the Education and Labor Committee held a hearing on HR 980. Assistant to the General President for Government Affairs and Public Policy Kevin O’Connor testified in support of the bill on behalf of the IAFF.

“This issue is about fundamental fairness -- giving fire fighters the opportunity to meet and discuss workplace issues and how to best to do their jobs safely and effectively with our respective government employers O’Connor says. (Click here for the full testimony.)

Surprisingly, even the witnesses who testified against the legislation expressed support for collective bargaining. While objecting to specific provisions of HR 980, Ted Clark, representing The National Public Employer Labor Relations Association (NPELRA), prefaced his remarks with, “Let me emphatically state that I wholeheartedly support collective bargaining in the public sector.”

The IAFF will be working with key members of the Committee on both sides of the aisle in the coming days to schedule the committee vote and discuss possible improvements and amendments to the legislation.