Signs police oversight, psychedelic mushroom study bill into law

On May 28, Governor Scott allowed S.102, An act relating to expanding employment protections and collective bargaining rights, to become law without his signature and sent a letter to the General Assembly.

This new law establishes the good cause standard for termination of employment. It also:

• Requires employers to provide severance pay to terminated employees, and permit employees or
  representative organizations to bring an enforcement action on behalf of the State for violations of the good cause termination requirement.

• Prohibits employers from taking adverse employment actions against an employee in relation to the employee’s exercise of free speech rights.

• Permits agricultural and domestic workers to collectively bargain and to permit employees to elect a collective bargaining
  representative through card check elections.

Card Check essentially abolishes secret ballot elections and replaces them with a process that requires only signature cards, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce explains. Card Check allows unions to skip the time, expense — and potential risk of losing — that comes with secret ballot elections. Under Card Check, if union organizers can persuade more than 50% of workers at a facility to sign cards, they win.

Scott wrote to the Legislature:

“I’m allowing S.102, An act relating to expanding employment protections and collective bargaining rights, to become law without my signature. One concern with the bill is the potential to adversely impact the employer-employee relationship by limiting an employer’s ability to communicate their point of view on a range of issues, including the advantages and disadvantages of unionization.

“Further, the “card check” provision of S.102 will affect non-unionized employees in public school districts, State and municipal government, other governmental subdivision entities and potentially domestic workers, which could lead to higher municipal and property taxes in the future.

“I’m also concerned that S.102 is a slippery slope to future disruptions in the employee-employer relationship in agriculture, domestic services and independent contracting as well as any local businesses and non-profits working solely within state lines.”

Fortunately, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) will help limit the adverse impacts of this bill on the private sector, which is why I can allow S.102 to become law without my signature.

However, I urge the Legislature to monitor the economic, affordability and tax burden impacts of this policy as it moves forward.

On May 29, Governor Scott signed bills of the following titles:

• H.862, An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Barre
• H.869, An act relating to approval of the merger of Brandon Fire District No. 1 and Brandon Fire District No. 2
• H.872, An act relating to miscellaneous updates to the powers of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council and the duties of law enforcement officers
• H.881, An act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the City of Burlington
• H.885, An act relating to approval of an amendment to the charter of the Town of Berlin
• H.888, An act relating to approval of amendments to the charter of the Town of Hartford
• S.114, An act relating to the establishment of the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group