This date in history

January 12, 1962:

President John F. Kennedy signs Executive Order 10988, guaranteeing federal workers the right to join unions and bargain collectively.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 federal and D.C. government workers nationwide and overseas. Not to be confused with AFSCME, which represents state, county, and municipal employees (see post this coming Monday).

Why does this matter to you? Of the 1.75 million people employed by the federal government, only 250,000 are based in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The majority work in federal offices across the nation, as police officers, mechanics, lawyers, correctional officers, environmentalists, nurses, mine inspectors, etc.

In 2001, $1.6 billion was paid to federal employees in Oregon. Federal workers’ wages make a big difference in Oregon’s economy, especially in rural areas where the proportion of government jobs in the local economy is higher than in urban centers.

Government employees make up 47% of total union membership nationally. Oregon is one of 26 states with laws providing virtually all public employees with the right to organize. Studies show average wages (of all workers, not just those of union members) in states with strong union rights laws and higher union membership are almost 15% higher than those without. Health insurance policies for union members carry higher premiums to offset non-reimbused expenses for uninsured patients in the community.

Federal employees in Oregon being allowed to join unions benefits all Oregon workers.