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Syllabus
LER 435: Labor Relations in the Public Sector (3): Analysis of labor relations problems within different areas of public employment. Prerequisite: 3 credits in labor and industrial relations
Overview
Please note that you must have successfully completed 3 credits in Labor and Employment Relations before you may enroll in this course.
In 1935, after more than one hundred years of bitter, chaotic, and often violent union-management conflict, the National Labor Relations Act established an orderly system of collective bargaining for private sector unions and employers. It would be 25 more years until the first public sector (government) employees received the right to bargain collectively, and many more years still until the majority of government employees received some variation of that right.
Today, collective bargaining is an important part of the relationship between millions of public employees and the thousands of federal, state, and local government agencies, departments, and bureaus that employ them. If you are a government employee, you need to understand the role that collective bargaining plays in determining your wages, benefits, and working conditions. If you are a manager or administrator working in any of the branches of government, you need to know what rights your employees have to engage in bargaining and what role bargaining plays in your workplace.
Even if you are not employed in the public sector as either an employee or a manager, the system of public sector labor relations plays an important role in your life as a citizen. The kinds of services you receive from the federal, state, and local government and the amount you pay for those services in taxes and fees are determined, in part, by this system. In a sense, the better understanding you have of the system of collective bargaining in the public sector, the better understanding you will have of the government that serves you. And the better you understand how your government works, the better citizen you can be.
This course will examine the system of public sector labor relations that has developed in this country since the early 1960s. It will look in detail at the “players” in this process—public employees and their unions, public employers, and the government agencies who regulate the process. It will also examine the stages of the labor relations process in this sector, including the organizing of unions, the bargaining of labor agreements, and the resolution of disputes and disagreements. In the course of this discussion, the issues that are the subjects of bargaining will also be identified and discussed, including wages, benefits, working conditions, union-security arrangements, and disciplinary processes. The course will conclude with a project dealing with a more in-depth analysis of one of the topics covered in the previous weeks.
Various teaching techniques will be utilized throughout this course. You will have a reading component in each lesson. There will not be a mid-term or final exam. Instead you will take a quiz based on the weekly reading assignment and assigned videos that will be streamed into the lesson. Frequently you will be assigned to a small group to discuss issues and case studies. Within the group you will have to select a different “reporter/recorder” for each assignment.
There will be written assignments (essays and/or case studies) that will require you to submit an in-depth analysis of a minimum of 500 words each.
Objectives
By the time you complete this course, you should have learned about the following:
- Describe why it is important to study and understand public sector labor relations.
- Describe the distinctions between public sector and private sector employers that impact labor relations in the public sector.
- Describe the principal historic differences between collective bargaining in the public and the private sectors.
- Identify the legal frameworks that regulate collective bargaining at the federal, state, and local government levels.
- Identify the major parties involved in public sector labor relations and articulate their priorities within the labor relations process.
- Explain the process of collective bargaining and the special circumstances that make public sector bargaining different from private sector bargaining.
- Discuss the arguments for and against the right to strike for public sector employees' labor relations.
- Apply principles and techniques of public sector bargaining in a simulated negotiations situation.
Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Assignments and Grades (Due Dates and Late Assignments)
All assignments are due on the dates noted in the Course Calendar under the Syllabus. Any assignment posted later than the date given will lose 10 percentage points per calendar day and will not be accepted later than 3 calendar days after the due date. Exceptions may be made on a case by case basis. Consideration for late assignments will only be entertained IN ADVANCE of the due date. Assignments are always accepted earlier than the due date.
Quizzes are timed so that once you open the quiz you must complete it within 40 minutes. You cannot open the quiz, close it and come back to it later. Be sure that you have enough time (40 minutes) to complete the quiz when you open it. MATERIAL IN THE QUIZZES IS BASED ON THE INFORMATION IN THE TEXTBOOK AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY ACTUAL CHANGE IN PUBLIC SECTOR LAW SINCE THE 5TH EDITION WAS PUBLISHED.
GROUP WORK---IMPORTANT!
All of you will be assigned to a group and are required to work with your group to turn in assignments. All work on discussions must be done in the Discussion Forum so that your participation can be monitored and evaluated. Once groups are assigned, the group should designate the time and day each assignment is to be provided to the reporter of the week. It is your responsibility to let your group members know if you are having computer problems or other problems and cannot submit the assignment on the designated time agreed upon by the group. Remember, some of your members are not in the same campus, and work full-time or part-time or may not be in the same time zone. Additionally, do not always assume that all members have access to computers at ALL times. They may need to go to the library to complete the assignment. Each group member is expected to share his/her schedule in terms of when assignments can be submitted, times to chat online, etc. You are also expected to use the group message board as necessary to discuss issues with your team members. If you fail to work with your group, you will be fired from the group. This means you alone will be responsible for all the work. You will receive three warnings from me before you are fired. Once you are fired, from the group you will automatically lose 20 points from your final grade.
Discussions are graded not only for your participation but also for the quality of your content. Please read the “Discussion Forum Rubric”. Note: One submission does not make a discussion. You should view the online discussion as analogous to a traditional classroom discussion. One comment does not exemplify quality participation.
The guide for the length of written assignments is 500 words. You will not be able to adequately analyze each issue in less than 500 words. There will be times when you will need substantially more than 500 words to analyze the assignment.
There are Current Events requirement for this course. By Sunday evening of weeks 3, 5, 8, 10 & 11 you should post on the “Weekly Current Events Discussion forum” a summary of a current news event dealing with public sector employment. The report may be from any medium; that is, television, internet, magazine, newspaper, or radio; and it may cover a local, state or national event. Make sure you cite the source so others in the class can access it if they wish. Each week’s post is worth 20 points. In order to receive the full 20 points, you need to respond to at least 2 of your classmates' postings
Grades
Your grade will be determined by the accumulation of points. The maximum points you can earn is 1000.
Grades are based on the following:
| Graded Items | Point Value |
|---|---|
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10 Quizzes 25 points each | 250 pts |
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7 Essays/Case Studies | 350 pts |
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5 Discussion Forums | 150 pts |
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Current Events | 100 pts |
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Final Project | 150 pts |
| Total | 1000 pts |
Grading Scale
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Grade
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Points
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| A | 1000-930 |
| A- | 929-900 |
| B+ | 899-880 |
| B | 879-821 |
| B- | 820-800 |
| C+ | 799-781 |
| C | 780-700 |
| D | 699-600 |
| F | 599-below |
Course Requirements and Grading
The World Campus follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
A = (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement
B = (Good) Indicates extensive achievement
C = (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement
D = (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement
F = (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to secure credit
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
University Policies
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.