Act 47 Hearing to be Held in Scranton
The economy has presented several challenges to cities and operating businesses throughout Pennsylvania, and Scranton is no stranger to financial strain. An employee’s right to bargain over wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment with an employer, is something that most workers value within the structure that makes up collective bargaining. Even when money is tight, such negotiations should not be tossed aside.
Based on a CitizensVoice report, a hearing will be held shortly in Scranton, Pennsylvania by the House Labor Relations Committee regarding new legislation on maintaining the collective bargaining rights of municipal employees in relation to PA’s financial recovery program for struggling cities.
According to the report, Scranton is a city that falls under Act 47 as a “financially distressed” city. While officials are looking to help the city regain monetary balance, some are in favor of making sure that recovery plans do not initiate alterations to employee contracts that are not structured to lighten financial grief. As recovery plan issues relating to city police and firefighters currently make their way amidst state courts, the bill has received support from the Fraternal Order of Police and the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association.
A Times-Tribune report mentions that Scranton’s Law Department as well as the DCED are involved in the city’s involvement with Act 47, also referred to as PA’s distressed-municipality law. At the time of the report’s release, it was noted that meetings regarding the creation of a new financial recovery plan for Scranton would not be closed off to the public.
