Collective Bargaining or  Meet & Confer

As part of our commitment to strengthen officers voices in their local community, TMPA provides contract bargaining support for the new labor era.

Collective Bargaining

TMPA was instrumental in passing the states first collective bargaining bill in 1973.  Local Government Code 174 allows local governments to enter into a labor contract with its police, sheriff's deputies, or fire fighter.  The local governments must adopt collective bargaining through a public referendum and your local association will need to collect signatures to call for an election to adopt the code.  Once adopted, your association must seek to be recognized as the "sole and exclusive bargaining agent" for the members of your agency.  The two sides then sit down and negotiate terms of a labor contract.  There are limited provisions available for impasse.  The terms negotiated in a contract supersede any other state law.

Meet and Confer

Meet and Confer (LCG 142) passed the legislature and was signed into law in 2005.  Currently only cities of 50,000 or more cities who have adopted state civil service (LCG 143) are eligible for meet and confer.  The local government must adopt meet and confer but the council is not required to seek a public election to adopt the code.  Once the code is adopted, your local association must seek recognition as the "sole and exclusive bargaining agent" for the members of your department.  The two may then sit down and negotiate terms of a labor contract.  The contract must then be ratified by the council and a majority of police officers in your agency.  The terms of the contract supersede any other state law.

While adoption of meet and confer is significantly easier, the statute has not provisions for impasse and, in fact, participation in the negotiation process by either party is completely voluntary.

To request a presentation about TMPA’s contract bargaining services for your agency, call 1-800-848-2088 or email John Sierega at  john.sierega@tmpa.org.