Examination of the collective bargaining process in state and local government according to John Piskulich in his book "Collective Bargaining in State and Local Governments".
Abstract This paper is a review of John Piskulich's book "Collective Bargaining in State and Local Governments". The paper covers Piskulich's discussion of policymakers, the role of unions, the various dimensions of the bargaining process, the history of the policy making process and the obstacles policy makers face.
From the Paper "In his book John Piskulich attempts to uncover why and how to manage collective bargaining. "Collective Bargaining in State and Local Governments" discusses how the collective bargaining process in the public sector has grown from a state of infancy to maturity. He makes note that policymakers are currently in a state of flux, constantly changing and modifying current regulations to keep up with the dynamic environments in which they work. John Piskulich emphasizes in his work that public-sector unions act as a significant force in operating government agencies."
This paper discusses the current Bush Administration's decision to sign a joint resolution of Congress disapproving Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) ergonomics standard and the consequences of putting that resolution into effect.
Abstract This paper focuses on the OSHA ergonomics program initiated in 2001 and the following elimination of that program by Congress. The scope and the purpose of the ergonomics program is examined as well as the consequences caused by its elimination.
From the Paper "It is interesting to note that this was NOT the agency's proposal, but obviously a political one, with the new President strongly beholden to the business community. The agency, OSHA, is not a ?political animal.? It was created to develop a meaningful means of overseeing workplace safety, which involves a lot more than unsafe working conditions."
Tags: ergonomic, policy, carpal, tunnel, syndrome, ergonomics, program, standard
Abstract This paper discusses how the rising costs as well as the delivery of quality health care in rural areas have moved to the forefront of many debates. It examines how health care in rural areas carries its own set of needs, reforms, and problems which include the difficulty in locating and retaining quality professionals, paying them enough to stay, providing up to date equipment and enticing insurance companies to allow them to act as providers. It looks at how providing quality care in the rural health care setting has been an ongoing challenge for those in the medical field as well as the insurance industry and how legislative bills have been passed to try and improve the rural health care plight.
From the Paper "One of the most difficult problems in the delivery of rural health care is the cost of the care. For years insurance companies have primarily focused on the need for affordable premiums and care costs in urban areas(Silbaugh, 1996). The concentration stemmed from the public demand for better care, more affordable care and more accessible care. Naturally the urban areas have a denser population so that the voice of the urban areas is going to be louder and more dense than the rural areas. The old adage "Its the squeaky wheel that gets the oil" held true in the insurance industry and for many years the concentration was focused on the metropolitan cities. While this was seen as a positive for those areas it meant that many of the rural areas were ignored in the health care delivery debates and plans."
Abstract This paper discusses how as more and more single parents have moved, by necessity or choice, from the home into the workforce, the need for affordable, quality childcare has become a crucial social issue and how there is an enormous impact and cost placed on single parents. It provides an analysis of the existing problems surrounding childcare, as well as local, state and federal recommendations to expand child care for single parents and to improve quality and implications of these changes. It evaluates how quality childcare, educational programs and after-school activities are extremely helpful to single parents and provide creative ways for them to shoulder the responsibility of raising children while working.
Outline
Statement of the Problem
Goals and Objectives
Significance of the Problem
Community Involvement
Mobilizing the Media and Officials
Solutions and Policy Recommendations
Benefits to Special Population and People of Color
Implementation
Evaluation
From the Paper "For single parents, childcare costs can pose a significant barrier to entering the workforce. In many cases, single parents to have a hard time finding affordable, safe care in close proximity to their homes or work that meet their scheduling requirements.
Even if single parents are able to find a childcare program that is affordable and meets their individual needs, there are faced with another problem?the quality of childcare. Many affordable childcare solutions have unsafe environments, including unsanitary conditions and a lack of supervision."
Abstract Compulsory, government-run unemployment insurance was instituted in the United States in 1935 during the Great Depression. It was controversial at the time, but it helped pull the country up from a uniquely difficult situation. This paper examines the arguments on both sides of the issue and argues for the benefits of privatizing the program.
From the Paper "On the other hand, natural disasters are seldom as widespread as economic depression can sometimes be; whereas a private insurance company can go broke due to a run on claims, the government can always increase the money supply to push the economy through the bad times. But depressions of the magnitude of the one in the 1930s are few and far between. It was probably the best thing for the government to step in and do what only it could do during a time of wholesale despair, but such measures should be implemented on a temporary basis only. Long-term policies should not be based on the worst case scenario, but on the common or typical scenario to best serve the people, not just in the worst of times, but for all time."
Abstract This paper examines New York city's zoning laws as a principle means of regulating land use. The paper shows that through zoning, a city regulates building size, population density and the way land is used. Zoning recognizes the changing demographic and economic conditions of the city and is a key tool for carrying out planning policy. The writer uses New York city as an example, as it enacted the nation's first comprehensive zoning resolution in 1916 and continues to be a leader in zoning policy in the United States.
From the Paper "New York City's Department of Planning is responsible for implementing the zoning regulations. In order to effectively carry out the concepts identified by the zoning regulations, the city has been divided into three basic zoning districts: residential, commercial and manufacturing. These categories are then further subdivided into retail or manufacturing areas, parking, building or residential. Areas designated as public parks do not fall under these regulations."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of the New York City Commuter Tax. The paper begins by exploring the history of the tax, from its introduction to the present day system. Included are a number of tables listing the prices and benefits of the tax. The writer discusses the previous attempts to bring the tax about as well as current discussions about its use. The writer argues that the tax is a bad idea.
From the Paper "The idea of a commuter tax came to light when New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg found himself facing a budget crisis that was the worst in three decades. For over 30 years the city had managed to pull through each year and squeeze by but eventually the borrowing and shifting of funds caught up and the mayor found himself facing the worst budget issues that the city had seen in over 30 years. His answer was to propose a commuter tax that would effect the almost 1 million commuters."
Abstract In order to achieve success, the workplace and the work force must be made safe. Thus, the mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) which is "to assure so far as possible every workingman and woman in the nation safe and healthful working conditions" is as true today as it was when OSHA was created in 1970. It is essential the employers maintain a standard within the organization that allows the worker to complete his duties in a health and safe manner and allow for other occupational health and safety procedures. Government, employers and employees should together study the changing workplace and expansion of the global economy and play a role in offering recommendations to address occupational health and safety in the global economy of the 21st century.
Abstract This paper analyzes and interprets the politics of EU and determines whether the Council of Ministers and the Commission partners are rivals or partners.
Abstract A paper on the topic of ethics and morals of public service.The paper explains what morals and ethics are and how they affect public service workers.
Abstract This paper examines the dichotomy of public administration and bureaucracy. Is it efficient or inefficient? Does the role of bureaucrats undermine the influence of politicians and, by extension, the democratic process? This paper focuses on bureaucracy as an expression of private and political interests and conflict rather than an objective, rational organization.
Abstract Social systems theory attempts to explain how humans interact with their environment. Under social systems theory, holistic patterns are searched for to help explain cause and effect at the micro and macro levels. Social systems theory is a part of systems thinking. Systems thinking is a conceptual framework for seeing interrelationships rather than mere things. This paper analyzes a social structure, a correctional treatment facility that employs the bureaucratic structure system, and argues that systems thinking would be the ideal model for efficiency in outcomes and treatment for the clients. The paper includes illustrations and diagrams.
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Introduction
Defining Social Systems
History of Wisconsin Corrections
History of the Wisconsin Resource Center
Model of the Wisconsin Resource Center
Recommendations
Conclusions
From the Paper "Social systems can be defined as any level of interaction that may be direct, face-to-face personal interaction of two people, or the indirect, enormously interlinked, impersonal interaction of a society (Loomis, 1960). In social systems, analysis begins with the individual and continues outward with the interaction of two or more people interacting with their environment."
