§ 28-9.2-2 - Statement of policy. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 28-9.2-2

   § 28-9.2-2  Statement of policy. – (a) The protection of the public health, safety, and welfare demands thatfull-time police officers of any paid police department in any city or town notbe accorded the right to strike or engage in any work stoppage or slowdown.This necessary prohibition does not require the denial to these municipalemployees of other well recognized rights of labor such as the right toorganize, to be represented by an organization of their choice, and the rightto bargain collectively concerning wages, rates of pay, and other terms andconditions of employment.

   (b) It is declared to be the public policy of this state toaccord to full-time police officers of any paid police department in any cityor town all of the rights of labor other than the right to strike or engage inany work stoppage or slowdown. To provide for the exercise of these rights, amethod of arbitration of disputes is established.

   (c) The establishment of this method of arbitration shall notin any way, be deemed to be a recognition by the state of compulsoryarbitration as a superior method of settling labor disputes between employeeswho possess the right to strike and their employers, but rather is solely arecognition of the necessity to provide some alternative mode of settlingdisputes where employees must, as a matter of public policy, be denied theusual right to strike.