NCJ Number
48129
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THE ARTICLE ARGUES THAT UNIONS OF GOVERNMENT WORKERS, IN PARTICULAR POLICE, ARE MECHANISMS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES TO CHANGE THE POLICIES OF THEIR AGENCIES TO FIT THE GOALS OF THE WORKERS.
Abstract
THESE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO ALTER THE AGENCY ARE TERMED 'BUREAUCRATIC INSURGENCY,' WHICH REFERS TO SELF-CONSCIOUS MEASURES, SUCH AS STRIKES, JOB ACTIONS, AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, MEANT TO INFLUENCE WORKING CONDITIONS, SALARIES AND FRINGES, OR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS. SUCCESSFUL BUREAUCRATIC INSURGENCY IMPOSES LIMITATIONS ON THE ABILITY OF AGENCY ADMINISTRATORS TO INITIATE POLICY UNILATERALLY OR TO HAVE POLICIES ENACTED WITHOUT QUESTION. THE SENTIMENT OF THE RANK AND FILE WORKERS CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED, AND SOME TYPE OF JOINT DECISIONMAKING PROCESS EVOLVES. WHEN BUREAUCRATIC INSURGENCY TAKES THE FORM OF A UNION, MANAGEMENT HAS TO CONCEDE SOME RESOURCES, BUT IT TRIES TO DO SO IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PRECLUDE FURTHER DEMANDS THAT WOULD GREATLY ALTER THE GOALS OF OR AUTHORITY RELATIONS WITHIN THE AGENCY. IT MAY EVEN WORK WITH THE UNIONS' LEADERS TO INSURE THE WORKERS' QUIESCENCE. POLICE UNIONS ARE AMONG THE MOST HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND EFFECTIVE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS OF MUNICIPAL WORKERS, AND THEY BEST ILLUSTRATE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN UNION MEMBERSHIP AND A PUBLIC SERVICE OCCUPATION. THREE STUDIES WERE CONDUCTED OF THE EMERGENCE OF POLICE UNIONS IN THREE DIFFERENT CITIES (NEW YORK CITY, DETROIT, MICH., AND ATLANTA, GA.) TO DETERMINE WHY THE RANK AND FILE ORGANIZED, WHAT THEY SOUGHT TO GAIN, AND HOW THEY BECAME INVOLVED IN DEPARTMENTAL POLICYMAKING. IT WAS FOUND THAT INITIALLY THEY ORGANIZED FIRST TO IMPROVE THEIR PAY AND SECOND TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM BOTH THEIR SUPERIORS AND THE PUBLIC. WITH THE TENSION AND VIOLENCE OF THE 1960'S, POLICE BECAME MORE DISSATISFIED AND MORE MILITANT. THE UNION LEADERS WERE FORCED TO ASSERT STRONG DEMANDS IN ORDER TO RETAIN THEIR POSITIONS. CITY EXECUTIVES WERE IN A POOR POSITION TO RESIST THIS PRESSURE, BECAUSE OF THEIR DEPENDENCE ON THE POLICE TO SUPPRESS URBAN CONFLICT. THEY FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT THEIR BEST CHANCES TO COUNTER THE EMPLOYEES' INSURGENCY WAS TO DEVELOP A 'COLLUSIVE' BARGAINING RELATIONSHIP WITH UNION LEADERS IN WHICH THE NEGOTIATORS TACITLY COOPERATED WITH EACH OTHER TO SELL THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT TO THEIR CONSTITUENCIES. COLLUSIVE BARGAINING SERVES TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF THE UNION IN DECISIONS CONCERNING DEPARTMENT POLICY AND WAGES. WHILE UNIONIZATION IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO GAIN THE RANK AND FILE SOME POWER OVER DEPARTMENT POLICY, COLLUSIVE BARGAINING IS ALSO EFFECTIVE AS A CONSTRAINT ON THIS POWER. EXTENSIVE NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (VDA)