Assembly committee passes collective bargaining for state workers

The Assembly Government Affairs Committee voted Thursday to recommend passage of a bill giving state workers collective bargaining rights.

But it did so without the vote of Assemblyman Ron Knecht, R-Carson City, whose district has more state workers than any other in the state. Just before the vote, Knecht excused himself and left the committee room.

"He said he had a personal matter to deal with," Chairman Mark Manendo said. Knecht was not available for comment.

Manendo said the bill, AB65, won support from eight committee members -- all of the Democrats plus Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka. The bill goes to the full Assembly for a vote.

Manendo and vice-chairman Wendell Williams, D-North Las Vegas, said the bill has won approval from the Assembly at least three times and he expects it will do so again.

But the measure has died each time in the Senate. Last session, Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, moved for "no further consideration" immediately after the Assembly bill reached that house.

AFL-CIO Director Danny Thompson said in testimony on the bill it was an issue of "fundamental fairness."

"Every other public employee in the state -- teachers, firemen, police and local governments -- all have this right," he said.

During an earlier hearing, Knecht argued the measure runs counter to efforts to restrain budgetary growth in state government.