Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon state employee. (Salem, Oregon.) 1944-195? | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1949)
6 Improved Public Service Necessary, Employees and OSEA Have a Responsibility By Virgil G. O’Neil sacrifice some of their potential earn ing power, public service under pres ent conditions offers but fair oppor When the 1950 F e d e r f fl^ S | u | B | H tunity. ThM ccSgffiojis hold taken, Oregon will^awake that S e has inherited a wealth of new change, . citizens together with heavier respon- I zens, as they awake more fully to sibilities than she now realizes. More their responsibilities t o t|g new peo people require more public service; ple and new industries which are com and increasihg services call for a ing this way, with or without the con- newB W cept of governmentai func sen tofth e j * Qrjj l f e S B g g g M tions. Expansion *and reorganization Why People Work for Oregon are in order, many ^ r esfent concepts Aside from the possibility that some must pass into antiquity, modern and employees because they efficient means of rendering good ser- don’t know better, there are a few vice to the public must be practiced. valid explanations for their seeming Public Service as a Career poor choice of employers. Chief among I*J\s public |er||e^ depends primar these, 1 would place that of a desire ily on the quality of th eh p K rc em- to be of service to a growing state an^j^^ pW ees, it seems ^ R opriate m b b s m to have an active part in its develop^^ s id e S B g U re la ti^ m erQj ^ ^ sugh em- ment. Within the last five years, ployment and to prospect the chances through OSEA activities, state wages ■ improving the personnel of govern have been brought to a level more in mental agencies. line with the worth of the j ob, politics M W p^ g B a rity of public service is has theoretically been removed from .it|^varianofaw|th practices of* private personnel selection and job tenure, a enterprise. Whereas the tangible proof start has been made to provide a of efficiency ing S ate fair pension for the aged and disabled profit, public service is j employee and a more healthy attitude judged by its cost. . is being shown to wards the mutual in- I The general' public, who are the real terests of administration and employee. employers of public employees, seem Many of the inclined to speak I derisively cially those of long tenure, have la employees and yet^they f e e ^ ^ S i ^ bored always in hopes that their con expect I great^S ^ ^ ^ g | m em- ployees whom they deride! In my ditions of employment would some the merits of public versus day improve and that meanwhile they private employment appear as follows: would patiently do what they could to » i S ^ avorable to public service: op render the best serviee possible under the ( x isting conditions. Truly, such portunity to do for others tenure of job, relative freedom from are a people with a taste for true serj^B K a B sonal j ealousies and ruthless com vice, a conscience and a hope. On the other hand, there are still petition, (b) Favorable to private em- ployment: opportunity to do for one’s those in state employ who find it . «elf, better pay, Ipepjerl working ^con convenieni to use their job as a train ditions, moi:&yn^^W je; for advance-, ing ground for a better p: 1 \in g job . in ment, more personal and organization- private enterprise, some who don’t care what they do, and a few who al power, more praise. For a class of people who are not don’t do anything at all if they can too sensitive to- derision, who are not help it. Director of Public Relations
