NCJ Number
72043
Journal
Monthly Labor Review Volume: 102 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1979) Pages: 20-24
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Efforts by judicial employees to organize are discussed; the control of labor-management relations for the courts and the impact of possible strike activity on the administration of justice are highlighted.
Abstract
As of September 1978, court employees had organized to varying degrees in 17 States, and the pace of unionization is expected to increase. While court unionization is a recent occurrence, it is best described as part of the larger public sector unionization issue. The structures and methods of organization for executive branch employees in the States and localities are applied readily to the courts. The impact of judicial unionization has been exerted mainly on the internal operations of the courts and not on general labor-management relations. The trend has forced the courts to become better planners and managers of the resources available to them. Court employees who are statutorily given the right to bargain collectively with their employer face a number of practical problems, including defining the type of unit and number of unit members, determining representation, and articulating demands sought. In general, it appears that court strikes will not mean court closings because in most cases enough supervisory personnel remain available to maintain essential courtroom activities. As more States pass enabling legislation for public sector collective bargaining and as the nationwide 'tax revolt' influences State and local budgets, court employees will seek the advantages of organization for the same reasons as have other public sector employees. Footnotes and exhibits are included in the article. (Author abstract)