IS LABOR-MANAGEMENT COOPERATION POSSIBLE IN THE PUBLIC-SECTOR WITHOUTA CHANGE IN LAW

Recent private sector NLRB cases have limited the ability of managemen t to develop new forms of cooperation without union involvement. Dilts suggests that political, constitutional, and legal limitations may li mit cooperation in the public sector even more than in the private sec tor. This article shows these limitations do not automatically negate cooperation. It describes how a major industrialized state, Illinois, and a major union, AFSCME, were able to overcome these limitations. Th e key is to ensure that cooperation is developed within the legal stru cture of the collective bargaining law. In Illinois, cooperation has t aken the form of quality involvement committees. In 1994 AFSCME propos ed and won acceptance of a contract article to institute committees in state agencies of 1,000 or more employees.