Guide to the Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations (Jones Commission) Records, 1977 AIS.1986.03

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations (Jones Commission) Records
Creator
Pennsylvania. Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations
Collection Number
AIS.1986.03
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet (1 box)
Date
1977
Abstract
The Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations (Jones Commission) was appointed by Governor Milton J. Shapp in December 1976 to carry out a review of public sector labor-management relations in Pennsylvania, including an evaluation of existing public employeee legislation. The Commission completed its work and submitted a report with recommendations to the Governor on June 1, 1978. The collection consists primarily of transcripts of the public hearings conducted by the Commission in various Pennsylvania cities between April and June 1977 to take testimony and gather information for its report.
Language
English .
Author
David Rosenberg. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process on May 10, 2003.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

History

In December 1976, Pennsylvania Governor Milton J. Shapp appointed a Commission to review existing state legislation pertaining to public sector labor-management relations. During the previous fifteen years, a tremendous increase in unionization among school teachers, social workers, court employees, health care workers in state hospitals, firefighters, police and other public employees had occurred. In July, 1975, a dramatic, state-wide general strike of such employees created pressure for a review of the public employee laws, especially Act 195 of 1970 (The Public Employee Relations Act) and Act 111 of 1968 (The Police Arbitration Act). Some proponents of changes wanted to restrict the ability of public employees to strike, by imposing financial burdens or judicial penalties on workers engaged in legally prohibited strikes or through expanding the powers of the courts to impose injunctions during strikes. By contrast, public employee union representatives focused their attention on preserving existing legislation. Representatives looked to obtain leverage in the form of proposed mandatory agency fees for workers who benefited from union-negotiated contracts but would not join the union or pay union dues.

The Hon. Benjamin R. Jones, Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, was appointed to head the Commission, whose members included Dr. Anne R. Jones, Associate Professor, Program of Social Work, the University of Pittsburgh; Attorneys Richard Kirschner (Philadelphia), Alex Satinsky (Philadelphia), John D. Killian (Dauphin County); and Thomas H. Lane (Dauphin County); Nancy M. Neumann, President of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania; John Ingram, Head of the Pennsylvania Economy League; and Gregory L. Coleman, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Community Affairs. Attorney William J. Atkinson served as Executive Secretary. The hearings opened in Harrisburg on April 5, 1977 and moved in succeeding weeks and months to Philadelphia, Erie, Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre and Allentown. The Commissioners heard from representatives of associations, administrators, public employee labor unions, legal counsel for various jurisdictions, and "public interest" organizations. In November 1977, a legislative hearing was held in Harrisburg where interested state legislators offered additional commentary, suggestions, and recommendations.

Scope and Content Notes

The collection, originally known as Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employe Relations, is organized into three series: Series I. contains Transcripts of Hearings held by the Commission, April-June and November 1977. Series II. Contains a Statement before the Commission by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association in re: Teachers rights under the law. Series III. includes Studies/Reports of the Commission and other State agencies.

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, May 1986.

Preferred Citation

Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations (Jones Commission) Records, 1977, AIS.1986.03, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh

Previous Citation

Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations (Jones Commission) Records, 1977, AIS.1986.03, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Records of the Pennsylvania Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations (Jones Commission), 1977, UE/Labor 86:3, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David Rosenberg in 2004.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Dan Horvath on May 10, 2004. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 4307384

Copyright

Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Pennsylvania. Governor's Study Commission on Public Employee Relations

    Other Subjects

    • Government
    • Labor
    • Collective bargaining -- Government employees -- Pennsylvania
    • Industrial relations -- Pennsylvania -- Law and legislation

Container List