CONCORD — With signs and slogans, local members of public labor unions picketed the state Legislative Office building Thursday, two days after the House Finance Committee voted to turn union workers whose contracts expire into employees-at-will.

CONCORD — With signs and slogans, local members of public labor unions picketed the state Legislative Office building Thursday, two days after the House Finance Committee voted to turn union workers whose contracts expire into employees-at-will.



Rick Condon, president of Portsmouth's firefighters union, stood out front with a contingent of city firefighters and signs reading "Union rights are human rights" and "Support union members." He was joined by Portsmouth firefighters Peter Gordon, Mike Rivet, Shawn Wheeler and two Scott Youngs; one known as "Old Young" and the other as "Young Young."



All had days off and did not use vacation time to attend, Condon assured.



"We realize we need to make compromises, but taking away our bargaining rights is wrong," Condon said.



The union president said the crowd of hundreds of protesting workers was too large to fit into a committee room where the proposed bargaining change was debated Thursday, and a request to move the hearing to a larger space was ignored.



The legislation, an amendment to the state budget filed by Rep. Neal Kurk, R-Weare, went to the House Finance Committee again Thursday and goes to the full House of Representatives next Wednesday. It also needs approval from the Senate, then Gov. John Lynch.



Steve Arnold of the N.H. Police Benevolent Association said he was joined by Portsmouth Ranking Officers Union President Mark Newport, Police Chief Lou Ferland and Deputy Chief Steve DuBois. As Arnold described the landscape of picketing union members, a chorus of jeers could be heard in the background.



State Senate Republican leader and pension reform advocate Jeb Bradley had just passed by, he said.



The area was filled with hundreds of police, fire and other public workers, some with children, others with signs, Arnold said.



"To pass a bill of this magnitude that will affect so many people, without a public hearing, is a travesty of the democratic process," he said. "This isn't a change of traffic law; this is major. They've stripped us of our democratic rights."



Arnold said he hoped the sight of picketing workers affected by the proposed legislation "will send a strong message that we have fundamental rights. We're the people who police your streets, teach your children and fight your fires," he said.



On Wednesday, Arnold called the amendment "disgraceful, dirty politics."



DuBois said he went to Concord on Thursday because Kurk's bill has the potential to impact every member of the Portsmouth Police Department, all of whom work under contract.



Other proposed changes to collective bargaining agreements could affect about 30 Portsmouth officers, or half the department, he said. Those officers don't have 10 years of service and therefore aren't "vested" and subject to a loss of benefits.



Senior officers could lose benefits they planned for their entire careers, he said.



"This could create recruitment and retention problems for us," said the deputy chief.



Kurk's proposed legislation says union members with expired contracts "shall become at-will employees whose salaries, benefits and terms and conditions of employment shall be at the discretion of the employer."



If enacted, the legislation would allow municipal employers to change union workers' wages and benefits after their contracts lapse.



Portsmouth unions with expired contracts currently include the Public Employees Union (representing public works, library and other city employees), the Patrolman's Union, the Professional Fire Fighters, Professional Fire Officers and a school department custodial union, said City Manager John Bohenko.



David Lang, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire, also picketed on behalf of his members Thursday. He said Kurk's amendment would affect approximately 75,000 active and retired public workers.



Kurk told the media his amendment would expedite stalled contract negotiations.



"If unions who couldn't agree (on a contract) knew that wages, retirement benefits and health care benefits would be at the discretion of the employer, we'd see a much more rapid settlement of contracts, and some of the exceptionally expensive fringe benefits, including medical care and pensions, would be resolved in a way that made them more affordable," he told the Concord Monitor.



The Kurk amendment follows the recent repeal of the so-called evergreen clause, which allowed for the continuation of cost-of-living increases and wages for public employees after their contracts expire. Kurk's amendment "changes the bargaining dynamics, admittedly in favor of the employer," he told the Monitor. "There's no doubt about it," he said. "It would result in public employee contracts that are more sustainable over time for taxpayers who have to pay for it."



State Sen. Nancy Stiles, R-Hampton, told the Portsmouth Herald on Wednesday the repeal of the evergreen clause accomplished needed reform and Kurk's amendment "is going a step too far."



"I believe in collective bargaining," she said. "We've had unions without contracts for a number of years, and we need some way to resolve it. But I don't have the magic bullet today. When (Kurk's amendment) comes over to the Senate, we'll look at it."