Memorandum on the 10th Anniversary of the Federal Labor Relations Program.

Memorandum to Heads of Departments and Agencies:

This year the Federal Government marked the tenth anniversary of its labor relations program, which now covers more than one million Federal employees.

I support collective bargaining for Federal workers, and I have demonstrated that support during the past three years by strengthening the program with the issuance of two Executive Orders [11491 and 11616] broadening the scope of bargaining.

Now, at the end of the first decade of this, the largest organized labor relations program in the Nation, I am calling on you to make this program even more effective. At my request, the Chairman of the U.S. Civil Service Commission and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget have drawn up a set of guidelines for Federal agencies under the Federal labor-management relations program. These guidelines are a solid step forward and should be implemented as quickly as possible.

If we can make this program work better, we can make Government work better.

I cannot urge you too strongly to take a personal interest in the labor relations activities in your agency and to make your managers aware of your interest. You should impress on your top managers that good labor-management relations has a high priority in my Administration. It is as much a part of their overall managerial responsibility as is the accomplishment of their basic mission, whether it be in the defense of our country or in the effective delivery of services to the public.

RICHARD NIXON