10.2190/5DT6-NEHD-WJA9-N1GD 5DT6NEHDWJA9N1GD 0 IS LABOR-MANAGEMENT COOPERATION POSSIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WITHOUT A CHANGE IN LAW? 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=5DT6NEHDWJA9N1GD 1 CAROLYN BALL Recent private sector NLRB cases have limited the ability of management to develop new forms of cooperation without union involvement. Dilts suggests that political, constitutional, and legal limitations may limit cooperation in the public sector even more than in the private sector. This article shows these limitations do not automatically negate cooperation. It describes how a major industrialized state, Illinois, and a major union, AFSCME, were able to overcome these limitations. The key is to ensure that cooperation is developed within the legal structure of the collective bargaining law. In Illinois, cooperation has taken the form of quality involvement committees. In 1994 AFSCME proposed and won acceptance of a contract article to institute committees in state agencies of 1,000 or more employees.