Brief Overview:

On November 5, voters will consider a proposal to amend the state Constitution to give state government employees an absolute right to collective bargaining. Prior to 1980, collective bargaining by state employees was not allowed. Since 1980 the Civil Service Commission has allowed collective bargaining, but that right is not written into statute or the Constitution.

The amendment would also give state employees (but not the state) the power to compel binding arbitration in the case of labor negotiation impasses. Under current law, only emergency workers like police and firefighters have this power.