Resolution on Release Time for Union Business Exposed

The Resolution on Release Time for Union Business was adopted by ALEC's Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force at the Spring Task Force Summit in May 2007, approved by the ALEC Board of Directors June 2007, and re-approved by the ALEC Board of Directors in January 2013.

ALEC Resolution Text

Summary

The Resolution on Release Time for Union Business opposes the practice of public sector union members receiving release time from their primary responsibilities to participate in union business.

Model Resolution

WHEREAS, many public agencies, including school districts, regularly provide release time for union leaders and negotiating team members to conduct union business; and

WHEREAS, such time should be recorded in order to determine how much time an employee spends on union activity as opposed to performing his/her job duties; and

WHEREAS, such union leaders are often senior level employees at the top of the salary schedule; and

WHEREAS, drawing out the negotiating process often causes substantial costs to accrue, especially when an impasse results in prolonged negotiations lasting as long as 6-12 months; and

WHEREAS, the individual agencies or school districts are still responsible for paying the salaries of their employees, even when they are not performing their job functions, but are involved in union business; and

WHEREAS, most agencies and school districts would benefit from requiring unions to pay for the time their representatives work on union business;

NOW THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the State/Commonwealth of (insert state) urges legislatures to revise any policy that allows release time for public employees to conduct union business, and to acknowledge and preserve the role of the states and federal agencies in the interpretation and enforcement of such laws.