Executive Order 10988 established the first federal labor-management relations policy. Which activity did it guarantee for most federal employees?

Executive Order 10988 established the first federal labor-management relations policy. Which activity did it guarantee for most federal employees?

• A. Form, join, and assist any employee organization or refrain from any such activity.
• B. Hire more employees without oversight.
• C. Discriminate in employment decisions based on sex.
• D. Prohibit collective bargaining.

Answer: (A)

The right being tested is the freedom of federal employees to organize and participate in labor unions. Executive Order 10988 established a policy that guarantees workers the ability to form, join, and assist any employee organization, or to refrain from such activity if they choose. This sets up a framework for collective bargaining between federal agencies and employee representatives, while preserving individual choice about involvement. The other options conflict with this guarantee: the order does not grant unchecked hiring power, it does not permit discrimination based on sex, and it does not prohibit collective bargaining—quite the opposite, it formalizes the right to engage in it.

The right being tested is the freedom of federal employees to organize and participate in labor unions. Executive Order 10988 established a policy that guarantees workers the ability to form, join, and assist any employee organization, or to refrain from such activity if they choose. This sets up a framework for collective bargaining between federal agencies and employee representatives, while preserving individual choice about involvement. The other options conflict with this guarantee: the order does not grant unchecked hiring power, it does not permit discrimination based on sex, and it does not prohibit collective bargaining—quite the opposite, it formalizes the right to engage in it.