SF 3314

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 03/22/2010 05:25pm

A bill for an act
relating to labor and industry; modifying the packinghouse workers bill of rights;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 179.86.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 179.86, is amended to read:

179.86 PACKINGHOUSE WORKERS BILL OF RIGHTS.

Subdivision 1.

Definition.

For the purpose of this section, "employer" means an
employer in the meatpacking industry.

Subd. 2.

Right to adequate equipment new text begin ; production line speed new text end .

new text begin (a) new text end An employer
must furnish its employees with equipment to safely perform their jobs under OSHA
standards.

new text begin (b) An employer and its employees who work on an automated production line,
or the employees' representative, must mutually agree upon the rate of speed of the
packinghouse production line. The employer must document the mutually agreed-upon
speed of the production line with the meat packing workers' rights coordinator established
in subdivision 4. If the parties do not mutually agree upon the speed of the production line,
the employer must hire additional workers sufficient to satisfy the safety requirements of
this section and document those actions with the meat packing workers' rights coordinator.
new text end

Subd. 3.

Information provided to employee by employer.

(a) An employer
must provide an explanation in an employee's native language of the employee's rights
and duties as an employee deleted text begin either person to person or through written materials deleted text end that, at a
minimum, deleted text begin include deleted text end new text begin includes new text end :

(1) a complete description of the salary and benefits plans as they relate to the
employee;

(2) a job description for the employee's position;

(3) a description of leave policies;

(4) a description of the work hours and work hours policy; and

(5) a description of the occupational hazards known to exist for the position.

(b) The explanation must also include information on the following employee rights
as protected by state or federal law and a description of where additional information
about those rights may be obtained:

(1) the right to organize and bargain collectively and refrain from organizing and
bargaining collectively;

(2) the right to a safe workplace; and

(3) the right to be free from discrimination.

new text begin (c) An employer must provide the explanation required by this subdivision:
new text end

new text begin (1) in written form to each employee at every regularly scheduled pay date; and
new text end

new text begin (2) by posting and displaying the information in a conspicuous location at the
employer's premises.
new text end

Subd. 4.

Commissioner duties new text begin ; meat packing workers' rights coordinator new text end .

new text begin (a)
new text end The commissioner of labor and industry in consultation with the commissioner of human
rights must develop and implement a strategy to assist employers in providing adequate
notice and education to employees of their rights under this section. The commissioner
shall assign the duty to implement the strategy to a specific identified position in the
department. The position, new text begin which shall be known as the meat packing workers' rights
coordinator, new text end along with contact information, must be included on printed materials the
department prepares and distributes to carry out the commissioner's duties under this
section.

new text begin (b) The meat packing workers' rights coordinator has the following duties:
new text end

new text begin (1) educating employees on their rights under this section;
new text end

new text begin (2) providing a collective voice for the employees to the department;
new text end

new text begin (3) planning and conducting training for workers at packinghouses;
new text end

new text begin (4) performing site visits and interviews to monitor compliance of line speed
standards and compliance with this section; and
new text end

new text begin (5) documenting and collecting violations of this section and submitting them to
the department for enforcement.
new text end