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Bill

SB 976

Collective Bargaining - Local Government Employees and Public Employee Relations Act

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Clarence Lam

SB 976 expands collective bargaining rights for local government employees in Maryland, allowing broader wage and benefits negotiations with municipal and county employers.

Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · SB 976

Legislative bill overview

SB 976 would amend Maryland's Public Employee Relations Act to expand collective bargaining rights for local government employees. The bill specifically addresses how local government workers can organize and negotiate with their employers regarding wages, benefits, and working conditions. This represents a significant shift in labor-management relations at the municipal and county level in Maryland.

Why is this important

Local government employees (including administrative staff, maintenance workers, and other municipal workers) currently have limited collective bargaining protections compared to state employees and private sector workers in unionized industries. Expanding these rights could affect labor costs for cities and counties, influence employee compensation and benefits, and reshape how local governments negotiate with their workforce. The outcome will impact both public sector budgets and worker economic security across Maryland's municipalities.

Potential points of contention

  • Municipal budget impact: Expanded bargaining could increase labor costs for local governments, potentially affecting property taxes or service delivery; municipalities argue this could strain already tight budgets
  • Scope of negotiable items: Disagreement over what subjects fall under "mandatory bargaining" versus management prerogatives (staffing levels, scheduling, contracting decisions)
  • Dispute resolution mechanisms: Questions about whether existing arbitration processes are adequate or if new procedures are needed to resolve deadlocked negotiations without service disruptions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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