Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0124 Compare Versions

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99 S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
1010 IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1111 JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
1212 ____________
1313
1414 A N A C T
1515 RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT
1616 Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, Patalano, Burke, LaMountain, and Appollonio
1717 Date Introduced: January 31, 2025
1818 Referred To: Senate Labor & Gaming
1919
2020
2121 It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
2222 SECTION 1. Sections 28-7-2, 28-7-3, 28-7-9, 28-7-20, 28-7-21, 28-7-22 and 28-7-26 of 1
2323 the General Laws in Chapter 28-7 entitled "Labor Relations Act" are hereby amended to read as 2
2424 follows: 3
2525 28-7-2. Policy of chapter. 4
2626 (a) The economic necessity for employees to possess full freedom of association, actual 5
2727 liberty of contract, and bargaining power equal to that of their employers, who are frequently 6
2828 organized in corporate or other forms of association, has long been sanctioned by public opinion, 7
2929 and recognized and affirmed by legislatures and the highest courts. As the modern industrial system 8
3030 has progressed, there has developed between and among employees and employers an ever greater 9
3131 economic interdependence and community of interest which have become matters of vital public 10
3232 concern. Employers and employees have recognized that the peaceable practice and wholesome 11
3333 development of that relationship and interest are materially aided by the general adoption and 12
3434 advancement of the procedure and practice of bargaining collectively as between equals. It is in the 13
3535 public interest that equality of bargaining power be established and maintained. It is likewise 14
3636 recognized that the denial by some employers of the right of employees freely to organize and the 15
3737 resultant refusal to accept the procedure of collective bargaining substantially and adversely affect 16
3838 the interest of employees, other employers, and the public in general. This denial creates variations 17
3939 and instability in competitive wage rates and working conditions within and between industries and 18
4040 between employees and employers engaged in those industries, and by depressing the purchasing 19
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4444 power of wage earners and the profits of business, tends to: 1
4545 (1) Produce and aggravate recurrent business depressions; 2
4646 (2) Increase the disparity between production and consumption; 3
4747 (3) Create unemployment with its attendant dangers to the health, peace and morale of the 4
4848 people; and 5
4949 (4) Increase public and private expenditures for relief of the needy and the unemployed. 6
5050 (b) When some employers deny the right of employees to full freedom of association and 7
5151 organization, and refuse to recognize the practice and procedure of collective bargaining, their 8
5252 actions lead to strikes, lockouts, and other forms of industrial strife and unrest which are inimical 9
5353 to the public safety and welfare, and frequently endanger the public health. 10
5454 (c) Experience has proved that protection by law of the right of employees to organize and 11
5555 bargain collectively removes certain recognized sources of industrial strife and unrest, encourages 12
5656 practices fundamental to the friendly adjustment of industrial disputes arising out of differences as 13
5757 to wages, hours, or other working conditions, and tends to restore equality of bargaining power 14
5858 between and among employers and employees, thereby advancing the interests of employers as 15
5959 well as employees. 16
6060 (d) In the interpretation and application of this chapter and otherwise, it is declared to be 17
6161 the public policy of the state to encourage the practice and procedure of collective bargaining, and 18
6262 to protect employees, when not already protected by the National Labor Relations Board, 29 U.S.C. 19
6363 §§151-169 in the exercise of full freedom of association, self organization, and designation of 20
6464 representatives of their own choosing for the purposes of collective bargaining, or other mutual aid 21
6565 and protection, free from the interference, restraint, or coercion of their employers. 22
6666 (e) All the provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed for the accomplishment of 23
6767 this purpose. 24
6868 (f) This chapter shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the state for the 25
6969 protection of the public welfare, prosperity, health, and peace of the people of the state. 26
7070 28-7-3. Definitions. 27
7171 When used in this chapter: 28
7272 (1) “Board” means the labor relations board created by § 28-7-4. 29
7373 (2) “Company union” means any committee employee representation plan or association 30
7474 of employees that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning 31
7575 grievances or terms and conditions of employment, that the employer has initiated or created or 32
7676 whose initiation or creation he or she has suggested, participated in or in the formulation of whose 33
7777 governing rules or policies or the conducting of whose management, operations, or elections the 34
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8181 employer participates in or supervises, or which the employer maintains, finances, controls, 1
8282 dominates, or assists in maintaining or financing, whether by compensating any one for services 2
8383 performed in its behalf or by donating free services, equipment, materials, office or meeting space 3
8484 or anything else of value, or by any other means. 4
8585 (3)(i) “Employees” includes, but is not restricted to, any individual employed by a labor 5
8686 organization; any individual whose employment has ceased as a consequence of, or in connection 6
8787 with, any current labor dispute or because of any unfair labor practice, and who has not obtained 7
8888 any other regular and substantially equivalent employment; and shall not be limited to the 8
8989 employees of a particular employer, unless the chapter explicitly states otherwise; 9
9090 (ii) “Employees” does not include any individual employed by his or her parent or spouse 10
9191 or in the domestic service of any person in his or her home, or any individuals employed only for 11
9292 the duration of a labor dispute, or any individuals employed as farm laborers; provided that, any 12
9393 individual employed by an employer in an industry established or regulated pursuant to chapters 13
9494 28.6 or 28.11 of title 21 shall be an employee within the meaning of this chapter and shall not be 14
9595 considered a farm laborer.; 15
9696 (iii) "Employees" is further defined as any person who performs services for another, under 16
9797 the other's control or right of control, and in return for payment or other compensation including, 17
9898 but not limited to, students including teaching assistants, research assistants, fellows, residential 18
9999 assistants and proctors who perform services for an employer, notwithstanding whether supervised 19
100100 teaching, research or other services, are a component of their academic development; 20
101101 (iv) “Right of control” means as the determination or ability to determine essential terms 21
102102 and conditions of employment including, but not limited to, wages, benefits, and other 22
103103 compensation; hours of work and scheduling; the assignment of duties to be performed; the 23
104104 supervision of the performance of duties; work rules and directions governing the manner, means, 24
105105 and methods of the performance of duties and the grounds for discipline; the tenure of employment, 25
106106 including hiring and discharge; and working conditions, related to the safety and health of 26
107107 employees. 27
108108 (4) “Employer” includes any person acting on behalf of or in the interest of an employer, 28
109109 directly or indirectly, with or without his or her knowledge, but a labor organization or any officer 29
110110 or its agent shall only be considered an employer with respect to individuals employed by the 30
111111 organization. 31
112112 (5) “Labor dispute” includes, but is not restricted to, any controversy between employers 32
113113 and employees or their representatives as defined in this section concerning terms, tenure, or 33
114114 conditions of employment or concerning the association or representation of persons in negotiating, 34
115115
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118118 fixing, maintaining, changing, or seeking to negotiate, fix, maintain, or change terms or conditions 1
119119 of employment, or concerning the violation of any of the rights granted or affirmed by this chapter, 2
120120 regardless of whether the disputants stand in the proximate relation of employer and employee. 3
121121 (6) “Labor organization” means any organization that exists and is constituted for the 4
122122 purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with employers concerning 5
123123 grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection and which is 6
124124 not a company union as defined in this section. 7
125125 (7) “Person” includes one or more individuals, partnerships, associations, corporations, 8
126126 legal representatives, trustees, trustees in bankruptcy, or receivers. 9
127127 (8) “Policies of this chapter” means the policies set forth in § 28-7-2. 10
128128 (9) “Representatives” includes a labor organization or an individual whether or not 11
129129 employed by the employer of those whom he or she represents. 12
130130 (10) “Unfair labor practice” means only those unfair labor practices listed in §§ 28-7-13 13
131131 and 28-7-13.1. 14
132132 28-7-9. Rules and regulations. 15
133133 (a) The board shall have authority from time to time to make, amend, and rescind any rules 16
134134 and regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter including the 17
135135 determination of the life of the selected representatives. The rules and regulations shall be effective 18
136136 upon publication in the manner that the board prescribes. 19
137137 (b) The rules and regulations for state and municipal employees shall include, but not be 20
138138 limited to, the following: 21
139139 (1) The board shall require a labor organization to submit cards of interest signed by at 22
140140 least thirty percent (30%) of the employees in the appropriate bargaining unit indicating a desire to 23
141141 be represented by the labor organization so designated. Cards of interest signed by at least twenty 24
142142 percent (20%) of the employees in the appropriate bargaining unit shall be required to intervene. 25
143143 The board shall certify the authenticity of all cards of interest submitted. 26
144144 (2) The board shall not consider a petition for representation whenever it appears that a 27
145145 collective bargaining agreement is in existence; provided, that the board may consider a petition 28
146146 within a thirty-day (30) period immediately preceding sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date 29
147147 of the collective bargaining agreement. 30
148148 (3) A petition for unit clarification may be filed at any time with the board by: 31
149149 (i) An exclusive bargaining agent; 32
150150 (ii) The applicable municipality; or 33
151151 (iii) The state where appropriate. 34
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155155 (4) In addition to the provisions of § 28-7-22, the board is empowered to order complete 1
156156 relief upon a finding of any unfair labor practice. 2
157157 (5) All charges of unfair labor practices and petitions for unit classification shall be 3
158158 informally heard by the board within thirty (30) days upon receipt of the charges petitions. Within 4
159159 sixty (60) days of the charges or petition the board shall hold a formal hearing. A final decision 5
160160 shall be rendered by the board within sixty (60) days after the hearing on the charges or petition is 6
161161 completed and a transcript of the hearing is received by the board. 7
162162 (6) When an unfair labor practice charge is made, the administrator shall refer the matter 8
163163 to an investigator. 9
164164 (i) The investigator may issue an order dismissing the charge, deferring any charge which 10
165165 is the subject of a pending grievance or arbitration, or recommending to the board that a complaint 11
166166 issue and a hearing take place. Unless the charge is dismissed or deferred, the investigator shall 12
167167 promptly meet with the parties, investigate whether settlement of the charge is possible, and clarify 13
168168 and narrow the issues before the recommendation for a complaint is made to the board. 14
169169 (ii) If the board issues a complaint and a hearing is ordered, the administrator shall set the 15
170170 time and place for the hearing, which time and place may be changed by the administrator at the 16
171171 request of one of the parties, for cause shown. Any party may file a motion to dismiss the complaint 17
172172 or for a summary decision, prior to a hearing. At the hearing, which shall be presided over by a 18
173173 hearing officer, the employer, the employee organization, or the person who is the subject of the 19
174174 complaint shall have the right to appear in person or otherwise to defend against the complaint. 20
175175 (iii) At the conclusion of the hearing, the hearing officer shall issue written findings of fact 21
176176 and shall determine whether an unfair labor practice has been committed and, if so, shall issue an 22
177177 order requiring the charged party to cease and desist from such unfair practice, and may take such 23
178178 further affirmative action as will comply with the provisions of this section. 24
179179 (iv) Any order issued pursuant to this section shall become final and binding unless, within 25
180180 ten (10) days, after notice thereof, any party requests a review by the board. A review may be made 26
181181 upon the record, which shall consist of the pleadings, motions, rulings, and the testimony taken at 27
182182 the hearing, if any, or upon such portions of the record, as the parties may designate. 28
183183 (v) Upon any complaint made under this section and a petition filed by one or more parties 29
184184 to the proceeding, the board, in its discretion and for good cause shown, may order that the hearing 30
185185 be conducted by the board itself. 31
186186 (vi) At the conclusion of that hearing, the board shall issue written findings of fact and shall 32
187187 determine whether an unfair labor practice has been committed and, if so, shall issue an order 33
188188 requiring the charged party to cease and desist from such unfair practice, and may take such further 34
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192192 affirmative action it deems appropriate to comply with the provisions of this section. 1
193193 (c) Insofar as the provisions of this section are inconsistent with the provisions of chapter 2
194194 11 of title 36 and chapter 9.4 of this title, the provisions of this section are controlling. 3
195195 (d) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent or limit the board or its 4
196196 agents by direction of the board, consistent with published rules and regulations, from dismissing, 5
197197 after investigation and informal hearings, the unfair labor practices charge. All unit classification 6
198198 petitions shall receive a formal hearing if requested by either party. The board or its agents shall 7
199199 maintain a written record of any dismissals. 8
200200 (7) The board shall establish standards for deferring a pending unfair labor practice charge 9
201201 to grievance and arbitration procedures in the charging parties’ collective bargaining agreement. 10
202202 (e) The board shall promulgate the appropriate rules and regulations allowing for the 11
203203 electronic filing of cards of interest, decertification signature cards, signature affirmation 12
204204 document, and designation of bargaining agent and waiver of right-to-vote forms. 13
205205 28-7-20. Power of board to prevent unfair practices. 14
206206 (a) The board is empowered and directed, as provided in this chapter, to prevent any 15
207207 employer, or public sector employee organization as provided in § 28-7-13.1, from engaging in any 16
208208 unfair labor practice. This power shall not be affected or impaired by any means of adjustment, 17
209209 mediation, or conciliation in labor disputes that have been or may be established by law. 18
210210 (b) The board shall develop a procedure for an employer or an employee organization to 19
211211 request temporary injunctive relief pending a determination of an unfair labor practice. The board 20
212212 shall have the ability to issue injunctive relief and enforce any such order, as provided in § 28-7-21
213213 26. 22
214214 (c)(1) Upon a finding by the board that the employer has committed an unfair labor 23
215215 practice, the employer shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) per 24
216216 each affected bargaining unit member, not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in 25
217217 total, which shall be deposited in the general fund. 26
218218 (2) The board shall apply the following criteria when assessing a civil penalty pursuant to 27
219219 subsection (c)(1) of this section: 28
220220 (i) The employer’s annual budget; 29
221221 (ii) The severity of the violation; and 30
222222 (iii) Any prior history of violations by the employer. 31
223223 28-7-21. Complaints of unfair practices — Parties to proceedings — Rules of 32
224224 evidence. 33
225225 (a) Whenever a charge has been made that any employer or public sector employee 34
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229229 organization, as provided in § 28-7-13.1, has engaged in or is engaging in any unfair labor practice, 1
230230 the board shall have the power to issue and cause to be served upon the party a complaint stating 2
231231 those charges in that respect and containing a notice of a hearing before the board at a place fixed 3
232232 in the complaint, to be held not less than seven (7) days after the serving of the complaint. Any 4
233233 complaint may be amended by the board or its agent conducting the hearing at any time prior to the 5
234234 issuance of an order based on the complaint. The person complained of shall have the right to file 6
235235 an answer to the original or amended complaint within five (5) days after the service of the original 7
236236 or amended complaint and to appear in person or otherwise to give testimony at the place and time 8
237237 set in the complaint. In the discretion of a member or agent conducting the hearing, or of the board, 9
238238 any other person may be allowed to intervene in the proceedings and to present testimony. In any 10
239239 proceeding the board or its agent is not bound by technical rules of evidence prevailing in the courts. 11
240240 (b) The board shall have jurisdiction to issue a complaint and make a ruling on any unfair 12
241241 labor practice charge, notwithstanding a pending grievance on the same or similar issue. 13
242242 28-7-22. Testimony at hearing — Decision and orders. 14
243243 (a) The testimony shall be taken at the hearing and the board in its discretion may upon 15
244244 notice take further testimony or hear argument. The testimony so taken or heard shall not be reduced 16
245245 to writing unless an appeal is taken as provided in this chapter by an aggrieved party or unless a 17
246246 transcript is required for proceedings in the superior court. 18
247247 (b)(1) If upon all the testimony taken the board determines that the respondent has engaged 19
248248 in or is engaging in any unfair labor practice, the board shall state its findings of fact and shall issue 20
249249 and cause to be served on the respondent an order requiring the respondent to cease and desist from 21
250250 the unfair labor practice, and to take any further affirmative or other action that will effectuate the 22
251251 policies of this chapter, including, but not limited to: 23
252252 (i) Withdrawal of recognition from and refraining from bargaining collectively with any 24
253253 employee organization or association, agency, or plan defined in this chapter as a company union, 25
254254 or established, maintained, or assisted by any action defined in this chapter as an unfair labor 26
255255 practice; 27
256256 (ii) Awarding of back pay, including interest; 28
257257 (iii) Reinstatement with or without back pay of any employee discriminated against in 29
258258 violation of § 28-7-13, or maintenance of a preferential list from which the employee shall be 30
259259 returned to work; and 31
260260 (iv) Reinstatement with or without back pay of all employees whose work has ceased or 32
261261 whose return to work has been delayed or prevented as the result of the aforementioned or any other 33
262262 unfair labor practice in respect to any employee or employees or maintenance of a preferential list 34
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266266 from which the employees shall be returned to work; and 1
267267 (v) Awarding of attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing party as part of a make-whole 2
268268 remedy. 3
269269 (2) The order may further require the person to make file reports from time to time, showing 4
270270 the extent to which the order has been complied with. 5
271271 (c) If upon all the testimony the board is of the opinion that the person or persons named 6
272272 in the complaint have not engaged in or are not engaging in any unfair labor practice, the board 7
273273 shall make its findings of fact and issue an order dismissing the complaint. 8
274274 28-7-26. Judicial enforcement of orders. 9
275275 (a) The board shall have the power to petition the superior court of the state within the 10
276276 county where the unfair labor practice in question occurred or where any person charged with the 11
277277 unfair labor practice resides or transacts business. If that court is on vacation or in recess, then the 12
278278 board may petition to the superior court of any county adjoining the county where the unfair labor 13
279279 practice in question occurred or where any person charged with the unfair labor practice resides or 14
280280 transacts business, for the enforcement of the order and for appropriate temporary relief or 15
281281 restraining order. The board shall certify and file in the court a transcript of the entire record in the 16
282282 proceeding, including the pleadings and testimony upon which the order was made and the findings 17
283283 and order of the board. 18
284284 (b) Upon the filing, the court shall cause notice of the filing to be served on the person, and 19
285285 at that time shall have jurisdiction of the proceeding and of the question determined in the 20
286286 proceeding. The court shall have the power to grant any temporary relief or restraining order that 21
287287 it deems just and proper, and to make and enter upon the pleadings, testimony, and proceedings set 22
288288 forth in the transcript a decree enforcing, modifying, and enforcing as so modified, or setting aside, 23
289289 in whole or in part, the order of the board. 24
290290 (c) If the board initiates proceedings with the superior court to enforce or achieve 25
291291 compliance with a board order issued pursuant to this section or is required to defend a decision by 26
292292 the board involving this section after an employer seeks judicial review, the court shall award the 27
293293 board attorneys' fees and costs, if it is the prevailing party. 28
294294 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 29
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301301 EXPLANATION
302302 BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
303303 OF
304304 A N A C T
305305 RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- LABOR RELATIONS ACT
306306 ***
307307 This act would expand the definition of "employee". It would also modify how the state's 1
308308 labor relations board operates and aids in enforcement of the board's orders. 2
309309 This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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