Ever wonder why union members' salary and benefits, workload agreements, and other aspects of their collective bargaining agreements, or "contracts," often remain unchanged and enforced during the all-too-common periods when public employees labor without a contract? In New York, the answer boils down to an understanding of the Public…

Outlines five approaches to the use of court injunctions to end public employee work stoppages. The current use of injunctions seriously impedes free and open collective bargaining. (Author/IRT)

Several methodological flaws were found in a Public Service Research Council study relating increases in public employee strikes with the adoption of bargaining statutes. A replication, using teachers, suggests some nonstatutory factors that may strongly affect the incidence of teacher strikes. (Author/IRT)

The growth of unionization and the enactment of collective bargaining legislation are considered to be the causes of increased strike activity in the public sector. This paper includes statistical data on the frequency and number of public employee strikes in each state; summarizes the state labor legislation; and presents an average of strikes,…

Considers the language and objectives of Minnesota law and concludes that a complete prohibition of sympathy strikes will frustrate the law's goal--minimizing public employee labor disputes by equalizing the bargaining strength of employers and employees. Available from University of Minnesota Law School, 229 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN…

It is the opinion of the authors of this position paper that collective bargaining in the public sector causes an increase in strikes and employee unrest, resulting in a diminution of public services. The authors assert that public employee collective bargaining means giving unions the power to control government through intimidation of the…

Examines some legislative strike remedies that have been enacted in various states and assesses their effectiveness in deterring strikes by public employees. Concludes that most such remedies are minimally effective at best. (For availability see EA 507 343) (Author/JG)

Outlines the history of Wisconsin's Municipal Employment Relations Act (MERA), details the new MERA procedures, and analyzes some of the procedure's implications for municipal labor relations. Concludes that the limitations placed on the right to strike may undermine the statute's long-term effectiveness. Journal availability: see EA 511 539.…

This article discusses recent court decisions affecting the relationship between teachers' associations and unions and the public agencies that employ those teachers. Topics discussed include constitutional rights, union representation and union rights, obligation to bargain and scope of bargaining, grievances and arbitrability, fiscal…

Examines Ohio's Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act from a union perspective and argues that the act has advanced the cause of "orderly and constructive relationships" between Ohio's public employers and their employees. (MLF)

Three persistent misconceptions about collective bargaining for public employees are 1) that public employee organizations are singularly culpable for strikes in the public sector, 2) that strikes necessarily follow collective bargaining and will not occur unless the right to bargain has been granted, and 3) that public employees have less right…

Examines the background of union security clause (specifically agency shop), analyzes arguments for and against it, details problems remaining after the U.S. Supreme Court's 1977 decision on Abood vs. Detroit Board of Education, and offers some suggestions for the future. (Author/PKP)

Examines the impact of private labor rulings on Pennsylvania's public employee laws, public sector strikes and their implications, and Pennsylvania's public employee laws and the right to strike. Available from Duquesne Law Review, 901 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; sc $3.50. (Author/IRT)

An examination of the eight public employee statutes in force in Washington--considering which rights are granted public employees, which are denied, and which remain unclear--points out the inadequacy of this approach. The eight existing statutes should be consolidated. Available from Gonzaga Law Review, Gonzaga University School of Law, Gonzaga…

Historical evidence is presented for the thesis that exclusive union representation by majority rule was adopted in the private sector primarily to pave the way for a corporative state. Peaceful, orderly collective bargaining by "responsible" unions in a competitive economy was a minor, secondary consideration. (Author/MLF)