Prentis Throws Down Gauntlet Print E-mail
Friday, 30 March 2007 15:09
UNISON's General Secretary has called on the Government to engage public service workers as allies of change.  Speaking to a gathering of industrial relations leaders in London this week, Dave Prentis criticised the Government for an approach to reform , he labelled as crude and damaging,

By making a show of getting tough with public sector employees and playing to negative stereotypes, the Government was in danger of squandering the opportunity to rebuild and renew public services, Mr Prentis warned.

"Instead of being engaged as key allies of change, public servants were portrayed as obstacles to improvement.  But anyone with any experience in public services knows that to protray the entire workforce as vested interests opposed to any change is inaccurate and insulting".

This denigration and demoralisation of public service staff had contributed to a 'feel-bad factor' that threatened the Government's credibility in the eyes of the electorate, Mr Prentis said.

He called for employees to be fully involved in the design and delivery of service improvements.  "Genuine workforce involvement in reform can deliver real public service improvement".  Public service workers were willing to take up the challenge, he said.

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