Abstract
The degeneration of orderly relationships between city governments and their employees seriously complicates the nature of government and democracy in urban America. While most cities have not yet experienced major minimal labor breakdowns, most city governments do suffer from seemingly chronic conditions, like inadequate revenues and spiraling costs, which easily can serve as catalysts for municipal labor crises. Data show that serious labor relations problems are no longer limited to a few unfortunate cities like New York, the subject of this study. During the five-year period from 1965 to 1969, the number of municipal employee strikes throughout the country increased from 42 to 372, and almost 5,000,000 man days of public service were lost as a result. The problem almost certainly will grow worse in the near future.