Celebrating 50 Years of Collective Bargaining in the Federal Government
Tuesday, January 17, 2012(National Federation of Federal Employees)
In
recognition of the 50th anniversary of
President Kennedy’s signing of an Executive
Order extending collective bargaining rights to
federal employees, NFFE National President
William R. Dougan issued the following
statement:
“Recognizing the 50th anniversary of
President Kennedy’s Executive Order is a
powerful moment for us in labor and indeed all
federal employees who seek fairness and dignity
in the workplace. To think that many federal
employees proudly serving our nation today had
once lived in a time where they did not have
the basic right to bargain collectively is
unimaginable.
The
basic right to collective bargaining has made
inestimable gains in the quality of work life
for millions of federal workers over the past
half-century. Top-down decisions on safety and
health matters, work schedules,
reorganizations, and many other workplace
issues have been replaced with a collaborative
process where workers have a definitive voice
in how they accomplish their mission. Where
there was once scant opportunity for redress of
legitimate grievances, there are now procedures
and institutions to protect merit and work life
principles that serve as the foundation of our
civil service.
Looking forward, these rights will be more necessary than ever as shrinking budgets and unfair political attacks threaten to undermine the mission of federal agencies and their employees. As cutbacks are made, employees will need a strong voice to defend the modest gains they have made over the past 50 years. NFFE and all federal employees will continue to do our best to make America great, and it is our sincere hope that our nation will work in kind for all those who proudly serve her.”
Click Here to Learn More About the History of Executive Order 10988