Labor - Management Relations 361to identify and implement effi ciency measures and eliminate waste and
redundancies; improve customer satisfaction, such as reducing waiting
times; enhance employee recruiting, training, and retention; and improve
workplace safety. Issues relating to pay, discipline, and termination proceed-
ings will still be handled by the state, although the certifi ed employee orga-
nizations can participate in wage discussions. The purpose of the executive
order is to establish the framework for employee partnerships in service of
a smarter, more effective, more effi cient, and more accountable state gov-
ernment for the citizens of Colorado. Limitations on the scope of partner-
ship agreements include not requiring any executive branch department to
negotiate with respect to matters constitutionally and statutorily delegated
to the State Personnel Board or the statutory function of any department
or agency, or related to the Public Employees ’ Retirement Association.
Terms for resolving disputes, including disputes over the interpretation and
application of a partnership agreement, are included. Dispute resolution
agreements may include nonbinding mediation or fact fi nding, or both, but
may not include binding arbitration. Partnership agreements shall contain
an agreement not to strike or engage in or threaten a strike, work stoppage,
work slowdown, sickout, or other similar disruptive measure against the
State of Colorado or any of its agencies. Violations of the provision may
result in decertifi cation of the certifi ed employee organization, with payroll
deductions of any membership dues ended.Limitations of Civil Service
With the growth of government, public agencies became larger, more
impersonal, and more dominated by civil service regulations and boards.
This depersonalization of public service has served to isolate and alienate
individual employees. Employees looked to unions for support. Civil ser-
vice or merit systems were no longer perceived to be neutral advocates for
employees. In many cases, merit systems were viewed as alternative forms
of favoritism, reifying employers ’ subjective biases.
The need to reconcile collective bargaining and the merit system has
been recognized by public sector unions. Jerry Wurf, former president of
the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
(AFSCME), saw both the merit system and collective bargaining as legitimate
in government labor - management relations. AFSCME ’ s International
Constitution lists among the union ’ s central objectives “ to promote civil
service legislation and career service in government ” (Wurf, 1974). In fact,
the early years of AFSCME ’ s history were part of the movement to reform