When did federal civil service employees begin joining unions, ...

[dejastew]

When did federal civil service employees begin joining unions, and how many belong to them? Compare and contrast federal employee unions with unions in the private sector.
 
  Also describe how political participation differs for federal employees and employees in the private sector, and explain why.

Question 2

In what ways are many citizens dissatisfied with the federal bureaucracy? What events have affected their opinion, and how has citizen satisfaction changed in recent years? How can citizens influence the public policy process? Provide examples.
 
  Why is voting not enough? When is citizen action most successful?

[stanleka1]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Note that federal civilian employees have had the right to form unions since 1962 and that approximately one-third of them have joined such unions.
2. Discuss the similarities between unions in the civil service and private sector, for example, both negotiate for better personnel policies and practices, represent employees at grievance and disciplinary proceedings, and vote in elections.
3. Describe how federal employee unions differ from unions in the private sector because federal employee unions are not allowed to strike or bargain over pay and benefits.
4. Detail how federal employees, although they can vote in elections, are subject to tight regulation under the Hatch Act regarding most other forms of political participation because they administer so many laws that can affect election outcomes.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Identify citizen concern with the performance of the bureaucracy, particularly after Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf oil spill, and the failure to detect the 2009 Christmas Day bombing plot.
2. Detail that public confidence in the executive branch has been generally declining over the last 15 years, and that citizens are unhappy that the Obama administration has not yet produced its promised overhaul of the bureaucracy.
3. Explain that citizens can influence regulations, monitor bureaucratic performance, and prompt needed reforms by supporting interest groups that lobby for good government, visiting government websites, and collecting information.
4. Identify that other ways citizens can influence the public policy process are by voting, writing letters, sending e-mails, confronting legislators at community meetings, and running for office themselves.
5. Discuss how voting is often hampered by the difficulty of determining where candidates stand on issues and how voting alone is not sufficient to convey precise information to policy makers about what citizens want to see accomplished.
6. Note that citizen action is more successful when it does not just demand that the government act but also makes a well-developed argument for change and involves clear ideas for alternative policy.

[dejastew]

TYSM

[juliaf]

Excellent