NCJ Number
56278
Date Published
1978
Length
263 pages
Annotation
TWO MATHEMATICAL MODELS ARE USED TO EXAMINE 1975 BUDGET AND WAGE DATA FROM 289 CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF MORE THAN 50,000 TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LAWS. BUDGET REALLOCATIONS ARE FOUND.
Abstract
THE ANALYSIS IS BASED ON A VARIETY OF DATA INCLUDING TOTAL MUNICIPAL EXPENDITURES, TOTAL POLICE EXPENDITURES, TOTAL POLICE WAGE EXPENDITURES, TOTAL FIREFIGHTING EXPENDITURES, TOTAL FIREFIGHTING WAGE EXPENDITURES, MUNICIPAL REVENUES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, AND CHANGES IN MUNICIPAL EXPENDITURES IN A NUMBER OF CATEGORIES. NEW YORK CITY WAS DELIBERATELY EXCLUDED FROM THIS STUDY. THE REMAINING CITIES (DATA WAS AVAILABLE FOR 289 OF A POSSIBLE 410) REPRESENT 189 MUNICIPALITIES WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LEGISLATION COVERING POLICE AND 200 COVERING FIREFIGHTERS. THE STUDY FIRST REVIEWS THE FISCAL CRISIS FACING THE CITIES IN THE 1970'S AND PRESENTS A NUMBER OF HYPOTHESIS REGARDING THE EFFECT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LEGISLATION ON MUNICIPAL SALARIES. AFTER DISCUSSING THE ROLE OF ARBITRATION IN ESTABLISHING HIGHER WAGE RATES, TWO OF THE MATHEMATICAL MODELS USED ARE EXPLAINED, AND CORRELATIONS ARE COMPUTED FOR 22 DEPENDENT CATEGORIES. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LEGISLATION COVERING POLICE WAS SIGNIFICANT FOR 8 OF THE 22 CATEGORIES, AND 13 OUT OF 22 FOR FIREFIGHTERS. CHARTS AND TABLES PRESENT THE STUDY DATA. NOTING THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ARRANGEMENTS ARE MET THROUGH INCREASED REVENUES FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND THROUGH SHIFTS IN BUDGET ALLOCATIONS, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THESE LABOR AGREEMENTS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE LIMITIATIONS OF THE STUDY ARE EXAMINED. APPENDIXES PRESENT ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICAL DATA. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (GLR)