2704

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

No. 67

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to
Richard L. Dunham, Chairman, Federal Power Commission,
825 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20000;
and to the Office of the People's Counsel, 301 W. Preston
Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.

Approved May 4, 1976.

No. 68

(Senate Joint Resolution No. 31)

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning

Task Force on Collective Bargaining for Public Employees

FOR the purpose of requesting the President of the Senate
[[and]], Speaker of the House of Delegates and the
Governor to create a legislative task force to
consider whether collective bargaining rights should
be extended to additional public employees and to
prepare workable legislation on the matter for
submission to the 1977 General Assembly if the task
force determines that such rights should be granted.

The issue of the relationship between public
employees and public employers has, in recent years,
become one of the most complex and critical of those
confronting State and local government. In the past,
numerous measures have been introduced in the General
Assembly which would extend to public employees in
Maryland the right to meet, confer, and otherwise bargain
collectively with their respective employers — whether
State, county, or municipal — on matters relating to
salaries and benefits. There are a number of very basic
questions which must be addressed by the Legislature in
the near future. Among these are whether or not to
extend to additional public employees the right to
collectively bargain and, if so, under what circumstances
and through what procedures that bargaining ability would
be exercised. Because of the importance of this issue,
the General Assembly should have the benefit of a
comprehensive and thorough review of the subject by
Members of both Houses and of nonmembers that can be
undertaken during the legislative interim that will
consider:

(1)    Whether or not collective bargaining rights
should be extended to additional public employees; and

(2)    If collective bargaining rights are to be
extended, the development and preparation of a practical
and effective legislative proposal for consideration to
effect that end; now, therefore, be it