Public Labor Relations

THE DIVISION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEE LABOR RELATIONS, Office of Labor Management Relations Services, Labor-Management Services Administration, U.S. Department of Labor: History of the Policy Development Elements Leading to its Establishment and An Overview of its Program Activities, 1969-May, 1974;  was produced by the Department of Labor historian’s Office.

It documents how the Division of Public Employee Labor Relations was created beginning with the Nixon White House wanting the Labor Department to provide some reaction to Civil Rights actities in the late 60s and into the 70s, and particularly as it related to public employee organizing with a civil rights connection.

For the first three years of the Division of Public Employee Labor Relations, Jerome Barrett was the Chief of the Division, hired all the employees, determined what the Division’s programs would be, traveled extensively promoting the Division’s work, became the spokesperson for DoL on the topic.