Final answer:
When the police union and the management cannot reach an agreement on a contract, they move to impasse procedures, which involves formal mechanisms like mediation or arbitration to resolve disputes, as strikes are often illegal for public sector workers.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the police union and the management cannot agree on a contract, they move to impasse procedures. This involves a formal process designed to resolve disputes between labor unions and management when collective bargaining reaches a deadlock. In many jurisdictions, especially for public sector employees such as police officers, going on strike is often illegal, as it can disrupt essential public services. Instead, collective bargaining strategies, such as mediation or arbitration, may be employed. The goal is to come to an agreement that satisfies both the union's demands for fair wages and working conditions, and the management's operational constraints and budgets.
In the historical example of the Boston police officers in 1919, when they were denied a pay raise, they went on strike, which was met with significant consequence, leading to the firing of the striking officers. The current labor laws largely discourage such drastic measures and instead promote a legal framework for negotiation and dispute resolution without resorting to strikes or dismissals.