Analyzes the history and consequences of the "Enmons" decision, which held that union violence, if carried out in furtherance of a legitimate collective bargaining objective, does not violate the extortion and robbery provisions of the federal anti-Racketeering Act of 1934 as amended in 1946 by the Hobbs Act. (MLF)

Argues that exclusive representation reduces public employees' freedom of choice, increases the welfare of union leaders at the expense of union members, limits employment opportunities of "outsiders," entrenches the monopoly provision of public services, and generates conflict and instability in labor relations. (Author/MLF)

Threats to individual academic freedom are coming from within the academic community with the advent of collective bargaining, agency shops, and exclusive representation by unions. Increasingly, collective bargaining agreements are overriding individual tenure rights if they conflict. (Author/IRT)

Provides a brief history of the Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act, examining both its antecedents and the studies made of it after it was in operation for some years. (IRT)

Introduces the special section of this issue on the Public Employee Relations Act (Act 195) in Pennsylvania. (IRT)

Act 195 has been responsible for approximately $458 million in tangible costs since its passage in 1970 and perhaps as much in intangible costs. Despite this, teachers in Pennsylvania hold no significant edge over other teachers across the nation. (Author/IRT)

Reviews the literature on the effects of teacher strikes on students and reports the results of a study analyzing student achievement in the presence or absence of strikes. Students in schools not experiencing strikes showed consistent gains, especially in mathematics, over students in schools where strikes took place. (WD)

Historical evidence is presented for the thesis that exclusive union representation by majority rule was adopted in the private sector primarily to pave the way for a corporative state. Peaceful, orderly collective bargaining by "responsible" unions in a competitive economy was a minor, secondary consideration. (Author/MLF)

Discusses the advantages and problems connected with the implementation of pay boards to replace collective bargaining agreements on teacher salaries. (WD)

Outlines the continuing conflict over the definition of the scope of bargaining in Act 195 and provides brief accounts of 10 significant court decisions over the act that have had broad impact. (IRT)

Any legitimate theory of employment rights must be founded on the premise that employment is a voluntary relationship governed by mutual consent; an employment right does not exist apart from contract. Analyzes the legal aspects of public sector employment. (Author/MLF)

Discusses the power of state legislatures to veto, in effect, the collective bargaining agreements of faculty unions. Analyzes state statutes authorizing collective bargaining for faculty in higher education. (Author)

Discusses constitutional limitations on public-sector collective bargaining that incorporates exclusive representation and relates the issue to fundamental tenets of individual liberty and representative government. Illustrates the issue with an Indiana case to be appealed before the U.S. Supreme Court, "Perry Education Association v. Perry…

Considers rulings by more than 15 state supreme courts in which state legislation permitting public sector bargaining and arbitration was found to be constitutional. Denounces judicial approval of this legislation, arguing that the laws oppose Lockian traditions of constitutional representative government and are a threat to democracy. (PGD)

Among other things, public sector bargaining divides public authority and redistributes a share of it to private entities--mainly unions--that are not elected by or accountable to the public. It also undermines the general conditions for healthy democratic governance of society. (Author/IRT)