Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-02
U. 5. Employees
Strikes Banned,
Report Holds
Civil Service League
Urges Dismissal
As Penalty

Declaring that there can be no
strikes by Government employees"
a special committee of the National
Civil Service Reform League today
called for summary dismissal as the
penalty for fouting this principle.
The report followed study that
the committee said was prompted by
these developments; I'm recent
months a number Of Government
employee associations have asserted
rights and claims patterned after
those defined for trade unions in
private industry by the National
Labor Relations Act. There are in
creasing demands for collective bar
gaining, and in some places for a
closed governmental shop"
TT is the duty of the State to
avoid unfavorable conditions of pub
lie employment, and to provide ade-
quate machinery for the prevention
and removal of employment prob
lens at their source" the report
said. But when the State fails in
that duty it still remains the obli-
cation of public employees to limit
the presentation Of their case to
peaceable methods. There can be
no strikes by Government employees.
Strikes are incompatible with public
employment and if public employees,
under color of strike, refuse to
perform their duties. their employ
ment must be terminated, with loss
OF all benefits that the merit system
implies. 1t also remains the obi
CATION of the State at all times to
carry on its essential public services
by such means as may be necessary"
Legal Obstacle to Bargaining.
The report pointed out that adj
ministrative officers have no power
to change the statutory conditions
surrounding Federal employment by
bargaining" with the employees. but
that these changes can be effected
only by authorized representatives
of the people under our democratic
processes.
Emphasizing that "a contract for
exclusive recognition of any one or
sanization of employees is incompat-
ible with the nature of public ad-
ministration,' the committee adds:
Likewise, the closed shop is in
compatible with open competitive
opportunity which is implicit in our
democratic merit system 1t would
be most unfortunate if labor organ
izations were to adopt a policy of
antagonism toward proper applica-
ton Of civil service laws because of
misunderstanding of proper rela-
tionship that should exist between
Government and its employees"
Government Service Exempted.
The reports calls attention to the
fact that labor relations acts spe-
officially exempt the Government
service and civil service employees
from their scope. 1t says. however.
that administrative officers should
regularly confer with workers or
their representatives as to employ
ment conditions and policies, and
should not interfere with the right
OF employees to join any organiza-
ton of Government employees OF
their own choice, provided their or
ganization charters should renounce
the right to strike against the Gov
eminent"
The Government also should pro-
vide adequate machinery for ham
ding grievances, the committee
holds.
The committee is headed by Phil
lips Bradley, professor of political
science of Queens College. and in
cludes Harlan S. Don Carlos, coun-
sci for the Travellers Insurance Co.;
Herman Feldman, dean of the
school Of business and civic admin
istration of City College, New York;
Mark S. Matthews, president, Junior
Chamber of Commerce: Albert
Smith Taught. Philadelphia attor-
ney; Luther C. Steward, president,
National Federation of Federal EN-
ployes: Newbold Moves. associate ed
itor. The Evening Star; Nicholas
Kelley and w. w. Montgomery,
Philadelphia, league officials.