Uncle Sam Does Not Want You to Organize: The 1977 Senate Armed Services Committee Hearings on Outlawing Military Unionization

Victor G. Devinatz

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DOI: 10.2190/EVGK-UTC6-9M8R-GQE2

Abstract

From 1975-1977, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) made preliminary plans to unionize the U.S. military, which led to the introduction of a bill in the U.S. Senate in March 1976 to outlaw military unionization (S.3079). Because it was impossible to schedule hearings during the election year, the bill died, although in January 1977, a similar bill was introduced before the Senate (S.274). This article outlines the major arguments in opposition to military unionization presented by the Senate Armed Services Committee members as well as U.S. military leaders during the March and July 1977 hearings on S.274. In addition, an analysis of then-AFGE President Blaylock s testimony before the committee is given. After presenting empirical evidence on the two closest equivalents to U.S. military unionism (i.e., U.S. police unionism and Western European military unionism), the article concludes by arguing that even if military unionization had not been outlawed in 1977, the AFGE probably would not have been able to successfully organize the U.S. military at that time.

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