Nevada Senate approves principals collective bargaining bill
CARSON CITY — School principals would again be entitled to union bargaining under a bill unanimously approved Tuesday by the Nevada Senate.
Senate Bill 493 modifies a collective bargaining law passed by the Republican-controlled 2015 Legislature that barred school administrators from collective bargaining if they made more than $120,000. SB493 eliminates the use of salary as a determinant and instead excludes school administrators above the level of principal from collective bargaining.
Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, who pushed the bill two years ago, supported the adjustment.
“I agree with this modification,” Roberson said on the floor before the Senate voted 21-0 to approve it. “My intent was to eliminate the ability of school administrators above the level of principal from collective bargaining.”
He said he learned afterward that some principals who made more than the salary cap allowed were “inadvertently” excluded from union representation.
Roberson said the revision also provides a “more expansive list” of job categories that cannot collectively bargain.
Discussion turned lively when Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford, D-Las Vegas, questioned what difference salary should make on whether to allow collective bargaining. Ford said professional sports stars earning millions have representation and collective bargaining.
That brought a retort from Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno.
“There’s a significant difference between the public sector and private sector,” Kieckhefer said, adding that taxpayer dollars are in play when public employees bargain.
Kieckhefer said the job of state lawmakers to provide the best service it can to the people of the state while being efficient with their money.
“I think those aren’t mutually exclusive,” Ford replied, adding that some state workers qualify for welfare and other public assistance.
A separate bill pending in the Legislature seeks to give state workers collective bargaining rights, though Gov. Brian Sandoval strongly opposes the measure.
Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3821. Follow @SandraChereb on Twitter.
