GENE BERGHOFF

From the desk of:

Executive Vice President

by Eugene Berghoff

A number of states have enacted legislation extending collective bargaining to public employees. But, no state has solved the problems in transferring private business bargaining processes to state and local government employees.

The paramount problem in a great number of states including Illinois is the constitutional provisions that either deny or restrict the use of strikes.

I am sure all governing boards of local government in Illinois wish to provide the best salary structure and fringe benefits to their employees based on the amount of tax revenues available.

Several bills have been introduced in the 80th Illinois General Assembly to establish a system of collective bargaining for public employees. However, at committee hearings the basic problem remains that with a no strike amendment collective bargaining would not work.

A number of witnesses presented testimony that they favored leaving the question between the local government unit and their employees to bargain based on the needs and revenues available rather than requiring a system of forcing local officials to recognize collective bargaining organizations and establishing state standards of salaries and fringe benefits.

All Associations representing local government in Illinois, including the Illinois Association of Park Districts, have opposed this legislation.

We will continue to research this area and confer with the legislature in resolving this most difficult problem to the benefit of both the employee and employer.

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Illinois Parks and Recreation 3 July/August, 1977