The federal sector

One of the most important collective bargaining developments of the last 3 decades has been the rapid spread of unionism among government workers. The initial impetus to unionism in the public sector came from Executive Order 10988 issued by President Kennedy in January 1962. 

The order guaranteed the right of federal employees to join the unions but it prohibited strikes by federal employees. It also prohibited various unfair labor practices by unions and employing agencies much as the Wagner Act did. The executive order permitted collective bargaining between a union and the employing agency on a limited range of issues. Major issues such as hiring, promotion, layoffs, wages and fringe benefits were excluded. A grievance system was also established.

The most recent change in the legal framework of bargaining in the federal sector was the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA). The procedures of the Taft-Hartley Act governing union representation elections and unfair labor practices were incorporated into the CSRA and a new agency the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) was created to administer the law. The CSRA limits the scope of bargaining largely to matter concerning personnel and working conditions. Strikes are still prohibited.

One major group of federal employees, the postal employees are not covered by CSRA. The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 abolished the Post Office Department and established in its place an independent government corporation. The act placed postal employees under the jurisdiction of the Wagner Act, as amended and also allowed bargaining over wages, hours and working conditions. It prohibited strikes however.