News Releases

Albuquerque, New Mexico - The Director of the US Office of Personnel Management, Kay Coles James, opened the Symposium on Employee and Labor Relations (SOELR) conference with a panel discussion on the importance of labor-management cooperation. During the discussion, she emphasized her belief that "great things can be achieved when management and labor work together on issues in a fair and open manner."

James also stated her belief that if "management and labor lock arms together, they can do tremendous things on behalf of the federal work force, but it begins with having open lines of communications. It begins with including labor up front in the decision-making process, in providing access whenever possible. It is a two-way street, with both sides keeping their word; both sides dealing honestly and with integrity."
In addition to the panel discussion, special break-out sessions looked at ways to deal effectively with poor performers, maintaining high standards of employee honesty and integrity, and fostering a work force that is committed to working with management to achieve results.

The yearly SOELR conference is the federal government's largest and longest running of its kind, with participants coming from nearly every federal agency and from locations all over the country and overseas. This year's conference attracted over 1,100 federal human resource professionals.

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OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.