Pennsylvania Deputies Are ‘Police’ For Bargaining Purposes
Pennsylvania’s basic public safety collective bargaining law is known as Act 111. Act 111 grants to “police officers” and firefighters the right to binding interest arbitration in the event that negotiations fail to produce a voluntary agreement. When the Allegheny County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association sought Act 111 rights for the County’s deputy sheriffs, the matter wound up before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. A divided court sided with the Association…