SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1029        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act uplifting families and securing the right to strike for certain public employees.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1029        FILED ON: 1/15/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1217 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act uplifting families and securing the right to strike for certain public employees.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 9 of chapter 150E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words “a reasonable period” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 6 months.

SECTION 2. Said section 9 of said chapter 150E, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting, in line 19, after the word “mediation” the following words:- not to exceed 6 months.

SECTION 3. Said section 9 of said chapter 150E, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting at the end thereof the following paragraph:- The provisions of section 9A shall not apply once a petition for a determination of the existence of an impasse is filed under this section, unless the negotiation pertains to public safety employees.

SECTION 4. Section 9A of said chapter 150E, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(a) No public employee or public employee organization prior to 6 months of negotiation over the terms of a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to section 9 shall engage in a strike, work stoppage, slowdown or withholding of services by such public employees; provided, however, that no public safety employee or public safety employee organization shall engage in a strike, work stoppage, slowdown or withholding of services in any circumstance.