PROS AND CONS OF ORGANIZED LABOR IN THE POLICE SERVICES (FROM COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR SELECTED READINGS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, 1977 BY RICHARD M. AYRES AND THOMAS L. WHEELEN - SEE NCJ-42575)

• NCJ Number: 42578
• Author(s): J H BURPO
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. REPRINTED FROM POLICE LABOR MOVEMENT - PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVE (SPRINGFIELD, IL.; CHARLES C THOMAS, 1971), PP 66-77

Annotation

THE PRINCIPAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST POLICE LABOR UNIONS ARE EXAMINED. ARGUMENTS THAT POLICE UNIONS ARE ILLEGAL, COMPROMISE THE NEUTRALITY OF OFFICERS, NEGATE PROFESSIONALIZATION, AND POLITICIZE POLICE ARE APPRAISED.

Abstract

THE ARGUMENT THAT POLICE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE UTILIZED POPULAR ANTI-UNION MISCONCEPTIONS TO LEGITIMIZE THEIR OPPOSITION TO UNIONS IS CONSIDERED BY THE AUTHOR TO HAVE SOME VALIDITY. IN ANSWER TO THE CHARGE THAT UNIONS ARE ILLEGAL, THE AUTHOR POINTS OUT THAT MEMBERSHIP IN AND THE ACTIVITIES OF UNIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING ACCEPTABLE BY STATUTE OR CASE LAW. FURTHER, IT IS POINTED OUT THAT STRIKES OR OTHER FORMS OF WORK STOPPAGES COULD WELL BE ORGANIZED BY ANY POLICE FRATERNAL OR BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATION, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF UNION AFFILIATION. AGAINST THE CHARGE THAT UNION AFFILIATION WOULD UNDERMINE POLICE NEUTRALITY, THE AUTHOR REASONS THAT AN OFFICER'S NEUTRALITY WILL BE COMPROMISED BY A UNION ONLY WHERE HE OR SHE IS NOT INSTILLED WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF PERFORMING LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES. IT IS ARGUED THAT THE CAUSE OF POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION WILL NOT BE UNDERMINED BY UNION OPERATIONS, BECAUSE, IT IS SAID, UNIONS OPERATE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL OF ECONOMIC NEEDS WHILE PROFESSIONALIZATION OPERATES ON THE NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL PLACE OF OCCUPATIONAL INTERESTS. THE AUTHOR CONSIDERS THAT ALL POLICE ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER UNION OR UNAFFILIATED ARE INVOLVED IN PARTISAN POLITICS. THE AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGES THAT UNION AFFILIATION WOULD CREATE ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS FOR THE POLICE CHIEF, BECAUSE OF ORGANIZED LABOR'S CENTRALIZED STRUCTURE, FINANCIAL POWER, AND EMPHASIS ON CONTRACT NEGOTIATION AS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING DESIRED GOALS. IN SPITE OF THIS, IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE TIME FOR A REEVALUATION OF MANAGEMENT ATTITUDES AND METHODS OF DEALING WITH POLICE UNIONS....RCB