Survey of 84 MSW union members from three unions in large urban area finds unionism and professionalism compatible. Differences among unions were demographic rather than attitudinal. Sample, mostly white, female under age 30, favors union arbitration, disapproves strikes. Prefers union with narrow economic focus, excluding professional or…

In spite of its colorful history of labor organizing efforts, Illinois has been slow to respond to conditions in higher education that have led to academic collective bargaining nationally. The time has arrived for Illinois leadership to recognize the symptoms and to respond to the issues before higher education is swept into retaliatory…

An analysis of over 1,700 negotiations conducted by 289 Indiana school districts revealed that collective bargaining conversion from voluntary to compulsory mediation and factfinding sharply reduced the length of negotiations but had no effect in reducing the number of severely protracted negotiations. (MLF)

This report contains four papers presented at conferences jointly sponsored by trade unionists and members of the academic community. As explained in the introduction by Michael E. Gordon, the papers focus on grievance procedures, examining both recent research on the topic and its implications for organized labor. The following papers are…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the effects of two dispute resolution procedures--fact-finding and compulsory final-offer, issue-by-issue interest arbitration--on teachers' wages, fringe benefits, and language provisions. New Jersey uses fact-finding dispute resolution, in which a recommendation for settlement is submitted to…

The first known analysis of a substantial number of arbitration awards in higher education is presented in an effort to determine whether arbitrators have confined their awards within the contract limitations. All of the arbitration awards generated by the four-year colleges of the State University of New York as well as the awards of the…

Findings of a study that examined the effectiveness of Alaska's Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) on labor relations between school employees and local school districts are presented in this report. Methodology involved: (1) document analysis; (2) interviews with members of professional organizations, district administrators, presidents and…

The recent increase in the number of teacher strikes following an impasse or stalemate in contract negotiations has led to a reevaluation of the role of State Educational Agencies (SEA) in such situations, in Wisconsin and elsewhere. The paper summarizes statutory framework governing the role of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)…

Explains Connecticut's Teacher Negotiation Act (October 1979), designed to bring about negotiated contract settlements resolving board/teacher impasses and thereby avoid strikes. Responses to the author's questionnaire of Connecticut board members, district administrators, and teachers reveal broad recognition of the law's effectiveness but doubt…

The rejection of the "Great Forces" and "Great Man" theories of newspaper history allows a middle-range view that seeks to discover the uniqueness of the newspaper business and to explain how that uniqueness shaped the business values of the editors and proprietors. An examination of three Chicago, Illinois, newspapers--the…

An intensive two-phase study of teachers' unions in three small school districts in southern New York State over a 10-year span investigates the changes within the union movement and assesses the impact of unionization on the school systems. The study discloses that teachers' organizations and the collective bargaining process are subject, over…

The most significant change appearing in the collective bargaining area in 1989 was the drop in number of cases compared to recent years. The largest number of cases challenged the specifics of fair share fee level establishment and the processes in place for collection of fees. There were also a significant number of cases surrounding issues of…

The amount of collective bargaining litigation remained high in 1988; however, there were no United States Supreme Court cases concerning collective bargaining in education, nor were there any new trends or developments. The review addresses the following topics at the K-12 level: (1) constitutional issues; (2) recognition and representation…

An increasing amount of case law dealing with collective bargaining in education was evident in 1987. The more than 100 cases cited indicate that educational employers and their unionized employees are increasingly resorting to the courts rather than resolving issues at the negotiation or arbitration table. However, there were no United States…

This report discusses teacher organizing, strikes, collective bargaining and negotiations, contract settlements, economic issues, legal developments, and state legislative activities. The first section contains fact sheets and organizing literature from the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). A…