Introduction

The number of state and local government employees who belong to employee unions or associations is increasing every year. The largest union representing public employees is the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees with a membership of more than 750,000. With this in mind, a study was conducted to analyze the attitudes that chief executives of park and recreation agencies in the State of Illinois have toward collective bargaining. This study also determined if an attitude difference existed between executives who have had direct exposure to employee unions, and those who have not had this exposure.

Study Method

The research method utilized was that of a survey questionnaire. The instrument was pretested and then sent to the 181 members of the study population. Of the questionnaires which were returned, 121 or 66.85% were adequately completed to be used for the study.

The study was divided into three specific areas of investigation: 1) Determination of which chief park and recreation executives have had direct exposure to employee unions; 2) The attitudes executives have toward variables related to collective bargaining; and 3) If a difference exists between the attitudes of executives with direct union exposure and those without direct union exposure.

Findings

It was found that over half (59.5%) of the chief executives have had direct exposure to employee unions. Throughout the entire study, virtually no difference existed between the attitudes of chief executives with direct exposure to employee unions and those executives without union exposure.

Chief Executives agreed that collective bargaining probably would not increase the quality of work or improve working conditions. They were undecided as to whether collective bargaining would increase wages. Executives were also undecided if collective bargaining should provide joint decision making.

Chief executives agreed on the following: 1) Workers should not strike; 2) Arbitrators should be unbiased; 3) Provisions encompassing a) wages, b) grievance procedures and c) working conditions should be included in a collective bargaining agreement; and 4) Employees who participate in a strike should not be sent to jail, have a fine imposed on them, or have their seniority removed.

Of the chief executives who responded, only sixteen (16) represented park and recreation agencies which have employees who hold membership in employee unions.

Conclusions

The attitude analysis of chief park and recreation executives resulted in five conclusions.

1. The attitudes that individual executives have toward collective bargaining vary greatly according to the issue presented.

2. Executives have developed their attitude toward collective bargaining through other methods than direct exposure to employee unions. This is shown by the fact that virtually no attitude difference existed between the sub-populations of "Chief Executives/Union Exposure" and "Chief Executives/No Union Exposure."

3. Chief executives are not sure what collective bargaining should do or will do with respect to employee involvement in the decision making process. Even through collective bargaining was defined to the executives as a joint decisionmaking process, executives still responded "undecided" as to whether collective bargaining should provide joint decision making.

4. Chief park and recreation executives in the State of Illinois believe that provisions encompassing wages, working conditions, and grievance procedures should be included in a collective bargaining agreement.

5. At the present time, collective bargaining through the use of larger national affiliate unions is more prevalent in municipal park and recreation departments than in park districts. Of the eleven (11) park and recreation agencies which have employees belonging to either the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Teamsters; or the Service Employees International; only three (3) were park districts. An additional five park and recreation agencies did not have employees belonging to either trade unions or other unions.

Superintendent of Recreation for the Geneva Park District, John Bruns enjoys square dance calling, whittling and woodcarving in his leisure time. He serves as the Continuing Education Chairman for the Recreation Program Section of IPRA and formerly worked for the West Chicago, Peoria, and Champaign Park Districts. The study summarized represents part of his Master's degree work at Western Illinois University.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 19 November/December, 1979