Lawmakers push labor-management partnerships (dissolved by President Bush in 2001)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1007/101907ar1.htm

By Alyssa Rosenberg [email protected] October 19, 2007

Two Democrats unveiled legislation on Thursday to re-establish the National Labor-Management Partnership Council established by President Clinton in 1993 and dissolved by President Bush in 2001.

The Federal Labor-Management Partnership Act, introduced by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., would require the formation of a council with representatives from agencies and employee groups.

"It is essential that both management and labor work together to address issues facing the federal civil service," Akaka said. "This partnership will help workplace changes earn employee acceptance and be more effective."

The agencies would be represented by the director of the Office of Personnel Management, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, chair of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and two officials with agencywide authority chosen by the president.

On the labor side, the council would have six union representatives, two of whom would be required to be from the largest and second-largest federal employee unions. It would also have one member from the largest organization representing senior executives, and one person from the largest entity representing federal managers.

The council would advise the president and local labor-management partnership councils, and would be responsible for promoting the formation of partnerships throughout the executive branch.

FULL story at link.