Federal Employee–Management Cooperation: E.O. 10988

The development of Federal labor unions presents many special problems for professional engineers. A brief outline is given of the background of the Federal labor movement and the events leading up to the issuance of Executive Order 10988, that provides for selective recognition of employee groups and their rights to bargain collectively for improved professional recognition and employment conditions with agency management. The paper describes the pronounced effect that this Order has had on some engineers—not alert to the possible consequences—and the even greater effect it will have in the future with increasing union pressures. Information is given on the response of those technical and professional societies which have established employment policies and encouraged varying degrees of response among members. The paper presents the guiding principles underlying development of NSPE's policies for the formation of E. O. 10988 groups. A summary is given of the results of actions by these groups and an evaluation of their effectiveness in fulfilling their objectives.