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S 2924Labor Relations

Labor and Labor Relations - Labor Relations Act

This bill allows public employee unions to form without an election and requires employers to share employee contact information.

Introduced32 Yea4 Nay2 Not voting
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Labor & Gaming

Plain-English Summary

This legislation modifies labor laws for Rhode Island public employees. It allows for "card check" union certification, meaning a union can be certified if over 50% of employees sign authorization cards, bypassing the need for a formal election. It mandates that public employers remain neutral regarding unionization and grants unions access to new hires during orientation. Furthermore, it requires employers to provide unions with detailed employee contact information and demographic data every 120 days. It also permits unions to charge non-members for costs associated with grievance or arbitration proceedings requested by that employee.

For younger readers

This new law changes how workers for the state can start a group called a union. A union helps workers agree on pay and rules with their bosses. Instead of having a big vote, workers can now just sign a card to say they want a union. The law also says bosses cannot tell workers not to join. It makes sure the union gets a list of the workers' phone numbers and addresses so they can talk to them. It also lets the union talk to new workers for 30 minutes without the boss in the room.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
State EmployeesPublic Agency EmployeesLabor UnionsHuman Resources DepartmentsPublic Sector Management
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

The requirement to provide personal contact information (personal cell phones/emails) to a third party without consent could be challenged as a violation of privacy or freedom of association. Additionally, charging non-members for grievance proceedings attempts to navigate around *Janus v. AFSCME*, which prohibited mandatory fees; this "pay-for-service" model is legally untested in this specific context and could be argued as a burden on the statutory right to present grievances.

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Significantly strengthens worker power by simplifying the union certification process through "card check," bypassing the delays and employer interference often associated with formal elections.
  • mandates employer neutrality, preventing state agencies from using their power and resources to discourage employees from exercising their right to organize and bargain collectively.
  • Ensures unions have equitable access to workers by mandating the sharing of contact information and guaranteeing time during new hire orientations, fostering a more informed and connected workforce.
  • The provision allowing unions to charge non-members for grievance representation could create financial barriers to justice for lower-income workers who opted out of the union due to cost.
  • Mandating the sharing of personal demographic data, such as race and sex, along with personal cell phone numbers without explicit employee consent may raise privacy concerns for some civil libertarians.
  • While card check simplifies organizing, the removal of the secret ballot could theoretically expose workers to peer pressure, potentially undermining the democratic ideal of uncoerced voting.
For Conservatives
  • Establishes a "fee-for-service" model for non-union members requesting grievance support, aligning with market principles that services should not be provided for free.
  • Protects state employees from general public scrutiny by explicitly exempting the detailed employee lists (containing home addresses and cell numbers) from public records (FOIA) requests.
  • Clarifies that unions must still demonstrate majority support (over 50%) to be certified, maintaining a baseline requirement for majority rule within the bargaining unit.
  • Eliminates the secret ballot election for union certification, replacing it with "card check," which exposes employees to potential intimidation and coercion from union organizers.
  • Violates employee privacy and property rights by mandating the government release personal cell phone numbers and email addresses to private third-party organizations (unions) without the employee's consent.
  • Infringes on free speech and management rights by legally mandating "neutrality," effectively silencing employers from discussing the potential downsides of unionization with their own employees.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 23 additions

SECTION 1. Section 28-7-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-7 entitled "Labor Relations Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 28-7-14. Exclusive representation of employees.

(a) Representatives designated or selected for the purposes of collective bargaining by the majority of the employees in a unit appropriate for those purposes, or by the majority of the employees voting in an election conducted pursuant to §§ 28-7-15 — 28-7-19, shall be the exclusive representatives of all the employees in the appropriate unit for the purposes of collective bargaining in respect to rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, or other conditions of employment; provided, that employees, directly or through representatives, shall have the right at any time to present grievances to their employer. (b)(1) Employees not represented by any labor organization for the purposes of collective bargaining may indicate their desire for representation by demonstrating their majority support. To demonstrate majority support, employees may either:

(i) File cards signed by at least thirty percent (30%) of the appropriate unit requesting an election run by the board defined in § 28-7-3, with a majority of employees voting in the election voting for representation; or

(ii) File cards signed by more than fifty percent (50%) of the appropriate unit requesting representation and waiving their right to the election provided in subsection (b)(1)(i) of this section.

(2) If the board receives cards requesting exclusive representation by a labor organization from at least fifty percent (50%) of the appropriate unit, the board shall certify the unit.

(c) No agent of the state nor any state or public agency shall encourage or discourage their employees from exercising their rights under this section. All management or administrative personnel shall remain neutral.

SECTION 2. Section 36-11-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-11 entitled "Organization of State Employees" is hereby amended to read as follows: 36-11-2. Discrimination because of membership in employee organization prohibited.

(a) There shall be no discrimination against any state employee because the employee has formed, joined, or chosen to be represented by any labor or employee organization.

(b) Supervisory employees shall not endorse any particular labor or employee organization or by reason of membership in any organization, show prejudice or discriminate against any individual employee.

(c) Membership in any labor or employee organization may be determined by each individual employee and each individual member. Membership dues or fees are established in amounts as determined by the organization.

(d) The state controller shall hereby be directed, upon certification of the exclusive bargaining organization, to deduct biweekly membership dues from the employee’s salary and remit the amount to the treasurer of the exclusive bargaining organization.

(e) Any employees in the bargaining unit, who are not members of the exclusive bargaining representative organization, may be required by the labor or employee organization to pay a reasonable charge for grievances and/or arbitrations brought at the nonmember’s request.

(f) The employer shall notify the exclusive bargaining unit representative organization of the hiring of any employee in the bargaining unit. The notice shall be given promptly after the hiring decision is made but in no event later than the fifth business day following the employee’s start date.

(g) Bargaining unit lists.

(1) Once every one hundred twenty (120) days, or on a more frequent basis if mutually agreed to by the employer and the employee organization, the employer shall provide the employee organization that is the exclusive representative of a bargaining unit, and any statewide employee organization, of which the local employee organization is an affiliate, with a list of all employees in that bargaining unit.

(2) The list shall include, as appropriate, each employee’s employee ID number, first name, last name, work location/department, job title/classification, date of hire, date of birth, demographic information, contact information, and whether the employee has, to the employer’s records, authorized dues deduction. As used in this section, “demographic information” includes the employee’s sex and race/ethnicity, to the extent the employer is in possession of such information. As used in this section, “contact information” includes an employee’s home address, mailing address, work email address, personal email address, and home and personal cellular telephone numbers, to the extent that the employer is in possession of such information.

(3) To the extent possible, the employee list shall be in alphabetical order by last name and provided as an electronic spreadsheet with one column for each of the data listed in subsection (g)(2) of this section.

(4) The list shall be kept confidential by the employer and the employee organization and shall be exempt from copying and inspection under chapter 2 of title 38 (“access to public records”).

(h) A representative of the labor organization shall have at least thirty (30) minutes, to meet with all newly hired bargaining unit employees, in person, for the purpose of orienting the employees to the union. Non-union personnel shall absent themselves from the room during this time. The orientation shall occur during the employer’s regularly scheduled new hire orientation. If no such orientation exists, the employer shall provide coverage for all new employees, for at least thirty (30) minutes to attend an orientation in person, to be scheduled by mutual agreement between the employer and the labor organization.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.