The Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques to Resolve Public Sector Bargaining Disputes

Labor organizations have existed in the United States for over two centuries.In the late 1700s and early 1800s craft guilds consisting of skilled artisans operated apprenticeship programs and maintained professional standards.'Such collective efforts were not confined to private sector personnel.During the 1830s, skilled craft workers employed at naval shipyards organized.2 In 1881 skilled craft guilds formed the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions, which was transformed into the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886.3During this same period, postal workers organized in a number of cities, and, in 1917, the AFL chartered the National Federation of Federal Employees.4 During this same period, state and local government personnel began to organize.The Chicago Teachers Federation was established in 1898, and in 1916, the AFL chartered the American Federation of Teachers.5 The International Association of Fire Fighters was chartered the following year.6 Even though no state law authorized collective bargaining by government personnel prior to 1959, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) was active throughout the 1930s and 1940s.7During this period, the percentage of government workers who were members of labor organizations ranged from nine percent to thirteen percent.8