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In October 1993, President Clinton signed
Executive Order 12871 which created the National Partnership Council to promote the
formation of labor-management partnerships throughout the government. The Order
represented an effort to reinvent labor-management relations and turn adversaries into
partners with a common purpose and vision to make government work better and at less cost.
The preamble of the Executive Order begins:
"The involvement of Federal Government
employees and their union representatives is essential to achieving the National
Performance Review's government reform objectives. Only by changing the nature of Federal
Labor-Management relations so that managers, employees, and employee's elected union
representatives serve as partners will it be possible to design and implement
comprehensive changes necessary to reform government. Labor-management partnerships will
champion change in Federal Government agencies to transform them into organizations
capable of delivering the highest quality services to the American People."
Partnerships vary by organization, but one characteristic exists in all - a changed
labor-management relationship. As this relationship matures, collaborative problem solving
becomes the preferred method of resolving workplace issues. It is through this changed
behavior and attitude that partnerships thrive.
A successful partnership is characterized by:
- An environment that respects and values all employees.
- A willingness to share power.
- Respect and trust for all or the desire to work to this goal.
- Open and candid sharing of information.
- Joint decision-making on issues of common concern and agreement reached through
consensus.
- Cooperation even though some may disagree on specific issues.
- Patience for and commitment to partnership for the long haul.
- Problems identified and solved jointly to better serve customers and achieve the
mission.
- Faith that partnership will lead to a more effective organization.
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