Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978: A Perfect Order

Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 provides federal employees with significantly greater access to final and binding arbitration than they have ever known. The authors examine this new legislation against the backdrop of eighteen years of development under a series of executive orders, considering, in addition, arbitration procedures, standards of contract interpretation, and modes of review. The authors conclude that while Title VII serves management and labor interests equally well, it is in some respects flawed, and point to steps that may be taken to overcome those shortcomings.