In October, NTEU welcomed legislation in Congress that would reinstate the partnership concept that served federal labor and management so well prior to 2001. “The Federal Labor-Management Partnership Act of 2007 holds great promise for federal employees, their agencies and our country,” NTEU President Colleen Kelley said.

NTEU was an early and strong backer of such partnership efforts, which were successfully implemented under an executive order issued by former President Clinton. That order was rescinded by President Bush in 2001.

The new legislation that would reinstate national and local labor-management partnership councils was introduced in the House by Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.), chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, and in the Senate by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management. The councils would be balanced groups that strive to improve the federal sector and better serve the public.