TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Negotiations on wages and benefits with Kansas public employees would be drastically narrowed under a bill considered by a state Senate panel. Several public employee union representatives spoke in opposition to the bill Wednesday in the Senate Commerce Committee. It would narrow negotiations to only salary and wages and would allow the government to impose conditions on public employees in the case of an impasse. Public employee unions also would be barred from endorsing or contributing to political candidates under the bill. Robert Wing of the Kansas State Council of Firefighters said that the current system works well and overhauling it would lead to costly labor disputes in the courts. Republican Senator Jeff Melcher of Leawood sponsored the bill and said it would make negotiations more flexible.
Kansas Public Unions Oppose Collective Bargaining Bill
