FEDERAL-SECTOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS AT THE CROSSROADS: LESSONS FROM PARTNERSHIP

MARICK F. MASTERS
ROBERT R. ALBRIGHT

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DOI: 10.2190/TFWM-RTTQ-91WH-RLYX

Abstract

Federal-sector labor-management relations stand at the crossroads. The parties may choose to compete or collaborate, a choice that is imminent according to legislation establishing the federal Department of Homeland Security. We inform the parties about the federal sector's experience with labor-management partnership in the past decade. Our evaluative study of partnership found that partnership-process elements were significantly correlated with perceptions of labor relations climate and agency-performance indicators. Union and management commitment to partnership, training, and union strength were factors critical to partnership success. We propose a cooperative model for DHS based on prior partnership best practices.

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