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2354 VETOES
and shift differential pay.
Moreover, there exists no significant difference between the
salary levels, hours of work, and benefits of fire fighters at
BWI and the fire fighters located in the neighboring areas of
Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County where
collective bargaining is practiced. For example, BWI fire
fighter salaries are equivalent to salaries of comparably trained
fire fighters in Baltimore City; the weekly hours of work are
equivalent to those required in Anne Arundel County, and the
shift differential pay arrangement is similar to the procedure
followed in Baltimore County and Baltimore City.
Clearly the working conditions and benefits provided BWI
fire fighters conform closely to those afforded to fire fighters
in comparable employment. This situation has been the result of
careful and progressive benefit adjustment procedures without
the potentially protracted, adversarial, and expensive
negotiations which frequently characterize the public employee
collective bargaining process. I might add, there is no
guarantee under the bill that the BWI fire fighters would not be
back before the Legislature seeking benefits that had been denied
in the collective bargaining negotiations.
In the absence of demonstrated need for this particular
mechanism for the setting of wages, hours of employment, and
employee benefits, the retention of the current "meet and confer"
system is appropriate and in the best interests of the State.
For these reasons, I have decided to veto Senate Bill 378.
Sincerely,
Harry Hughes
Governor
Senate Bill No. 378
AN ACT concerning
Collective Bargaining - State Fire Fighters
FOR the purpose of providing for collective bargaining for
certain fire fighters; providing for advisory arbitration;
prohibiting a strike; establishing a penalty for striking;
providing that this Act does not apply to political
subdivisions that have enacted collective bargaining
provisions for their fire fighters; and generally relating
to collective bargaining for certain fire fighters.
BY adding to
Article 100 - Work, Labor and Employment
Section 117 to be under the new subtitle "Collective
Bargaining for State Fire Fighters"
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