Bill seeks collective bargaining for Nevada state workers

Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R-Gardnerville) signaled Republican disagreement to proposed measure.

Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R-Gardnerville) signaled Republican disagreement to proposed measure.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Certain state employees would be allowed to engage in collective bargaining, according to a bill introduced in the Nevada Senate on Thursday, Feb. 7.

Senate Bill 135 would reportedly require the state to negotiate wages with labor organizations representing state employees. Go here to read the full text of the bill. Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak has previously said he supports giving state workers the ability to collectively bargain; he's also pushed for a 3 percent pay increase for state workers. State Sen. David Parks (D-Las Vegas) — who is chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, which is sponsoring the bill — said the bill has a good chance of passing and includes similar language that was introduced in past sessions. Those past bills ultimately failed after seeing opposition from Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval. “I think that we've seen over the last decade that our state employees have received no pay increases. They're finding it harder and harder to live on the salaries,” Parks said Thursday, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Assemblyman Jim Wheeler (R-Gardnerville), minority floor leader, signaled Republican disagreement to the collective bargaining measure in an interview last week, according to the Associated Press.

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