LHR 435Labor Relations in the Public Sector

3 credits · Labor and Human Resources · Penn State

Analysis of labor relations problems within different areas of public employment. LHR 435 Labor Relations in the Public Sector (3)(BA) This course meets the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements. Upon completing this course, students should be able to identify the legal frameworks that govern collective bargaining between employers and unions in federal, state and local governments. Students should also be able to explain the process of collective bargaining in the government sector and the special circumstances that make public sector bargaining different from private sector bargaining. At course end, students should be able to identify the parties involved in public sector bargaining, including those involved in dispute resolution, and explain their priorities in the labor relations process. Students should come to understand and articulate the reasons why it is important to study and more fully comprehend the public sector labor relations process. Together, we will explore the distinctions between public and private sector employers that impact labor relations in the public sector, in order to better understand those distinctions. Also, we will explore the principal historical differences between negotiations in the public and private sectors, in order that students can better articulate those differences. In addition, we will work to understand the principal arguments for and against the right to strike for public sector employees, as well as other impasse resolution processes. Finally, we will work to identify and discuss the challenges facing public sector labor relations in the near term and in the intermediate term.