Bill > S2178

This bill, the Fire Fighters and EMS Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, aims to provide collective bargaining rights for fire fighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel employed by states or their political subdivisions. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Establishing a policy of the United States to encourage labor-management cooperation and collective bargaining in the fire and EMS sector, which is essential for national security and commerce. 2. Defining terms such as "fire and EMS personnel," "employer," and "labor organization," and outlining the rights and responsibilities related to collective bargaining, including the right to form and join a labor organization, the requirement for employers to recognize and bargain with the labor organization, and the availability of an interest impasse resolution mechanism. 3. Authorizing the Federal Labor Relations Authority to determine whether a state substantially provides the required collective bargaining rights and responsibilities, and if not, to establish regulations and procedures for collective bargaining in those states. 4. Prohibiting strikes and lockouts that would disrupt the delivery of emergency services, while preserving state laws regarding strikes by fire and EMS personnel. 5. Ensuring that existing collective bargaining agreements and units are not invalidated by the enactment of this bill, and allowing states to maintain certain exemptions and provisions related to collective bargaining.