Police unions and management discussion
Other
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Police Unions
Competency Addressed in This Discussion
- Competency 3: Analyze the culture of police organizations from a leadership perspective.
Introduction
Police unions have been generally successful in negotiating good salary and fringe benefit packages for their members. This has had some significant impact on the finances of cities and counties. Some question if police unions are necessary in today’s policing environment. Others defend the need for police unions. A police administrator must understand the role that unions play in the operation of a police agency and the impact labor unions have on the agency. Depending on the state, unions may or may not have binding arbitration rights. Integral to working with a union is understanding the laws relating to unions, including collective bargaining, unfair labor practices, and other types of bargaining practices. A police administrator must master the ability to work with the union and satisfy the needs of the community he or she serves. Failure to work with the unions may result in a variety of union actions that could impact how long a police chief will remain in office.
Instructions
For this discussion, assume the role of a police administrator and research two current articles regarding police union activities. In your main post:
- Explain whether police organizations should be allowed to collectively bargain through unions.
- Provide a current example of collective bargaining through police unions from your research.
- Determine whether police unions can lead to a high-performance workplace where labor and management jointly solve problems on an equal standing as a result of the union’s presence.
- Predict whether collective bargaining can restrict management’s authority on hiring issues.
Discussion Objectives
The competencies addressed in this discussion are supported by discussion objectives, as follows:
- Competency 3: Analyze the culture of police organizations from a leadership perspective.
- Explain whether police organizations should be allowed to collectively bargain and thus have union representation for their officers.
- Provide a current example of collective bargaining through police unions from your research.
- Determine whether police unions lead to high-performance workplaces where labor and management jointly solve problems.
- Predict whether collective bargaining can restrict law enforcement management’s authority.
Response Guidelines
Respond to the posts of two peers. Interact with other learners about whether police organizations should be allowed to collectively bargain and thus have union representation for their officers.
- Did you agree or disagree with other learners regarding whether police unions lead to high-performance workplaces where labor and management jointly solve problems on an equal standing? Why or why not?
- Was there a consensus among learners regarding whether collective bargaining can restrict law enforcement management’s authority? Why or why not?
APA citations are not required for discussions. However, if outside material is used, you are required to cite references.
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