NCJ Number
133116
Date Published
1992
Length
27 pages
Annotation
Police unions have emerged as a force to be taken into consideration since the 1950's, and they have evolved in many instances to the extent that they are able to challenge police management.
Abstract
References from as early as the Civil War period indicate the existence of police employee organizations. Police strikes go back to 1889, when five police officers went on strike in Ithaca, New York, after their wages were reduced by $3 a week. In the 1940's, the American Federation of Labor promoted the affiliation of police agencies, and police employees themselves actively worked for collective bargaining rights. In 1958, the mayor of New York City approved the practice of collective bargaining. The following year, Wisconsin became the first State to grant public employees a limited right to bargain with employers. Bargaining was authorized in the areas of wages, hours, and working conditions. A 1968 survey found police employee organizations in every part of the United States. The structure of current police unions takes several forms, including local, statewide, and national organizations. Some of the more prominent union organizations are the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP); the International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO). Police organize for various reasons, such as unsatisfactory working conditions, lack of advancement opportunities, lack of grievance procedures, low salaries, and poor communications. Issues in collective bargaining or negotiation focus on management and employee rights and impasse procedures (mediation, fact finding, and arbitration). 34 references, 1 table, and 3 figures