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