112 - Letter on the Resolution of Federation of Federal Employees (No Gov't Collective Bargaining)

The American Presidency Project ^ | August 16, 1937 | Franklin Delano Roosevelt

[Steelers6]

112 - Letter on the Resolution of Federation of Federal Employees Against Strikes in Federal Service August 16, 1937

Franklin D. Roosevelt 1937

Font Size:

Report Typo

Share

The American Presidency Project

Promote Your Page Too My dear Mr. Steward:

As I am unable to accept your kind invitation to be present on the occasion of the Twentieth Jubilee Convention of the National Federation of Federal Employees, I am taking this method of sending greetings and a message.

Reading your letter of July 14, 1937, I was especially interested in the timeliness of your remark that the manner in which the activities of your organization have been carried on during the past two decades "has been in complete consonance with the best traditions of public employee relationships." Organizations of Government employees have a logical place in Government affairs.

The desire of Government employees for fair and adequate pay, reasonable hours of work, safe and suitable working conditions, development of opportunities for advancement, facilities for fair and impartial consideration and review of grievances, and other objectives of a proper employee relations policy, is basically no different from that of employees in private industry. Organization on their part to present their views on such matters is both natural and logical, but meticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government.

All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters.

Particularly, I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of Government employees. Upon employees in the Federal service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of Government activities. This obligation is paramount. Since their own services have to do with the functioning of the Government, a strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government until their demands are satisfied. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable. It is, therefore, with a feeling of gratification that I have noted in the constitution of the National Federation of Federal Employees the provision that "under no circumstances shall this Federation engage in or support strikes against the United States Government."

I congratulate the National Federation of Federal Employees the twentieth anniversary of its founding and trust that the convention will, in every way, be successful.

Very sincerely yours,

[Steelers6]

This is the actual letter the Republicans should be taking with them on when taking on this battle. Citing along with George Meany's 1955 Speech.

[muawiyah]

Not that the letter is BS, but it is too limited to give anyone a true idea of what FDR was up to.

While he was writing that he was making a deal with postal unions to exchange formal recognition for their assistance in ELIMINATING communist party union organizers throughout the federal government.

The postal unions got rid of the commies. FDR gave them recognition.

Another successful negotiation!

[Track9]

I was looking for this earlier. Thanks for posting it.

[coop223]

About damn time a lot of you on FR see that the Federal Employees have nothing to do with Unionized State Employees. The Government decides our pay, our medical benefits contributions (25%) and pension benefits. Its NOT BARGINED for, its what the govt decided it will be.! Hell, O’reilly figured it out last night and even was shock that Feds have zero bargaining rights. Next time you bitch about outrageous benefits, realize its UNIONIZED State employees and NOT THE FEDS

[Bean Counter]

[Steelers6]

Your welcome, you would think Republicans would be using this letter and . FDR and George Meany are the patron saints but were against public sector unions and collective bargaining because the American Taxpayer should not be treated like a profit making company. Private sector can have strikes and governments cannot.