Ethics Dilemma Engineering as a Profession Situations Concerning Collective Bargaining, Unions, Strike, Picket Lines, et

1. Ethics DilemmaEngineering as a ProfessionSituations Concerning Collective Bargaining, Unions, Strike, Picket Lines, etc..

2. Historically, NSPE has consistently oppose collective bargaining for engineers. • Policy 109 expresses NSPE’s disapproval of collective bargaining as a desirable, effective, or appropriate mechanism to achieve the objectives of professional employment. • Not sure exactly why, but most likely a reflection of the collective thinking of engineering profession • NSPE III.1.e: “Engineers shall not actively participate in strikes, picket lines, or other collective coercive action.” (??)

3. NSPE Professional Policy 109 • Legal right of employees to organize must be balanced against the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare • Collective bargaining may interfere with the independent judgment and discretion required of the engineers and their subordinates to insure the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. • The disparity between the obligations of these individuals to both the union and the public can create severe conflicts that may interfere with the engineer's primary obligation to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

4. Why, in general, engineers don’t join unions or participate in strikes • Desire to become management (many do achieve that later in their careers) • Professional individualism (accomplishment vs. seniority; merits vs. collective bargaining) • Engineers strike does not demonstrate short-term effectiveness in disrupting the production

5. Codes of Ethics Changes • June-July 1965 - The Board approved the addition of Section 3(e) to the Code of Ethics, dealing with participation in strikes, etc. • February 2001 - The NSPE Board approved the following change to the Code of Ethics: Deletion of Section III.1.e. "Engineers shall not actively participate in strikes, picket lines, or other collective coercive action.“ • Codes of Ethics is a living document

6. The Verdict The NSPE Board of Ethical Review does not believe it is appropriate for the NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers to express a position about the general ethical correctness of an individual engineer’s active participation in strikes, picket lines, or other collective action. Appropriate strikes, picket lines, and collective action are recognized as legally acceptable activities in employee-management relations under federal and state labor laws. Moreover, it has been noted that individual engineers are sometimes compelled to participate in such collective action or face workplace reprisals. NSPE Code Section III.1.e. is vague and ambiguous because it could also be interpreted to apply to situations outside of the collective bargaining area and limit an engineer’s legitimate right to engage in free expression.