Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act

S. 636 would provide basic collective bargaining rights for public safety employees, including police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel employed by states and their political subdivisions. The bill would allow these workers to form and join labor unions and collectively bargain with their employers over wages, hours, and working conditions. Currently, not all states provide these rights to public safety workers, leaving many without a formal voice in workplace decisions that affect their careers, safety, and livelihoods.

The legislation would establish a federal framework setting minimum collective bargaining standards while preserving existing state and local laws that already meet or exceed these protections. The bill includes dispute resolution mechanisms for negotiation impasses and does not compel employers to agree to any specific terms. Fiscal decisions would remain with employers and local legislative bodies, which would retain authority to approve or disapprove funding for any agreements reached. The bill would not supersede existing collective bargaining agreements or state right-to-work laws.