A theory of the organization of state and local government employees

Since 2011, a number of states have amended their collective bargaining laws covering state and local government employees. Debate rages about whether the goal of the proponents of change was to address budget shortfalls or weaken labor unions. Regardless of motive, legislatures in several states accomplished the goal of severely limiting or eliminating collective bargaining for some or all employees. The question facing unions, employers and employees in those states is �what now?� An answer may lie in looking to southern states like Virginia and North Carolina that have historically prohibited or severely restricted bargaining. This article explores the lessons that that might lie in the labor relations climates there for parties in states facing new and unfamiliar landscapes.The article first discusses labor relations in the southern states, with a primary emphasis on Virginia, and analyzes the factors that contribute to successful union-management relations where they exist. Then, the article considers how these factors might apply in states with newly enacted changes to their collective bargaining laws, focusing specifically on those states that eliminated or virtually eliminated bargaining rights. The article concludes that while labor relations might change in those states, unionization will survive as employees continue to seek a voice in the workplace.

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The Demand for State and Local Government Employees.

ILR Review ◽

10.2307/2521426 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 1171 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robert J. Thornton ◽

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

Keyword(s):

Local Government ◽

Government Employees ◽

State And Local Government ◽

State And Local

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Mental Health Benefits in New Jersey State and Local Government

Public Personnel Management ◽

10.1177/009102600203100207 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 211-224

Author(s):

Gary E. Roberts

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

New Jersey ◽

Local Government ◽

Local Governments ◽

Safety Issue ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Government Employees ◽

State And Local Government ◽

State And Local

Adequate mental health coverage is a key element of a comprehensive employee benefits package. The absence of adequate mental health coverage imposes significant costs on employees, their families, and our society as a whole and is a larger public health and safety issue. The focus of this study is to analyze mental health policies and coverage levels for New Jersey State government employees and a sample of New Jersey local governments. The results indicated an absence of parity between physical and mental health coverage for New Jersey state and local government employees. The most significant inequities include differential limits concerning the number of inpatient days and outpatient visits as well as patient contributions in terms of copay, coinsurance, and deductible provisions. A comprehensive mental health management model is proposed for adoption by state and local governments.

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