50 years ago, Kennedy’s order empowered federal unions
Joe Davidson, "Federal Diary" columnist, Wash. Post
This week marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s executive order allowing federal employees the right to collective bargaining.
The first line of Executive Order 10988 establishes the basic premise: “Whereas participation of employees in the formulation and implementation of personnel policies affecting them contributes to effective conduct of public business. . . .”
That notion has come under attack recently. Nonetheless, federal unions labor on, seeking, in the words of the order, to provide workers “an opportunity for greater participation in the formulation and implementation of policies and procedures affecting the conditions of their employment.”
Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said Kennedy’s action was “a major step forward and helped to create the most highly respected civil service in the world.”
full: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/50-years-ago-kennedys-order-empowered-federal-unions/2012/01/19/gIQA3g82BQ_story.html