Mass. Ballot Question 2 explained: What would change for public defenders?

Election day is one week away. Massachusetts voters will decide on nine statewide ballot questions, including whether certain public defenders should have the right to unionize. Ballot question two focuses on the employees of the state's Committee for Public Counsel Services, the agency responsible for providing legal representation to people who cannot afford an attorney. Boston 25 News anchor Shana Ferreira joining us live in the studio. So Shana, what would that yes vote mean? Carrie, for people who can't afford a lawyer, as you mentioned, access to legal representation, can really make all the difference. And in Massachusetts, the Committee for Public Counsel Services, known as CPCS, oversees the delivery of legal services to people eligible who are facing those criminal charges or other qualifying legal proceedings. But question two asks voters to consider a change to the rights of the agency's own employees. Ballot question number two. It's all about collective bargaining for CPCS employees. Here's a breakdown. A yes vote would allow CPCS employees to organize and collectively bargain with their employer. That could mean negotiating over wages, benefits, and working conditions. But voting yes on election day would not automatically create a union or guarantee a pay raise. Employees would still need to organize and any changes to employment terms would depend on the collective bargaining process. The proposal also addresses how those agreements would be funded. CPCS would have to request the necessary funding from the governor to cover the cost of a negotiated contract that means the potential cost to taxpayers would depend on the terms of any agreement a no vote would leave the existing law unchanged meaning the proposed collective bargaining rights would not take effect and while this question deals with employees of the state's public counsel agency it doesn't automatically extend those same rights to every private attorney who accepts court appointed cases now Massachusetts voters will decide question two on November 3rd for more information on the 9 ballot questions, just head over to boston25news.com.