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It is the opinion of the authors of this position paper that collective bargaining in the public sector causes an increase in strikes and employee unrest, resulting in a diminution of public services. The authors assert that public employee collective bargaining means giving unions the power to control government through intimidation of the taxpaying public. This paper includes statistical data on the frequency and number of public employee strikes in each state--data intended to bolster the authors' contention that collective bargaining in the public sector is destructive. They conclude that a method other than compulsory public employee collective bargaining would be in the public's best interest. (Author/DS)

Teacher salaries across the country were examined to determine whether collective bargaining is a prime determinant of the rate of increase in teacher salaries. It is suggested that many teachers join a union and seek collective bargaining in order to achieve higher pay. The percentage change in primary and secondary teacher salaries was compared between the 1969-70 and 1975-76 school years. Further comparisons were made between the 30 states that enacted compulsory teacher bargaining legislation before or during the period under consideration and the 19 states without such legislation. Collective bargaining was not found to have a major impact on the growth of teacher salaries. States without teacher collective bargaining legislation, which had a lower degree of actual bargaining, experienced growth in teacher compensation rates very similar to, and on the average higher than, those states with bargaining legislation. A recent study concluded that unionization has resulted in a negative impact on teacher salaries. At the collegiate level, a study has been conducted of 37 campuses that negotiated their initial collective bargaining agreement during the period between the 1971-72 and 1975-76 academic years. It is concluded that no significant impacts on salary, compensation, and promotions were associated with the adoption of collective bargaining by college and university faculty. At all levels, collective bargaining increases the likelihood of strikes, which disrupt the education process and entail a social cost. (SW)