Employee relations in the public services: a paradigm shift?
| Author | Susan Corby |
| Published date | 01 July 2000 |
| Date | 01 July 2000 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/095207670001500306 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Employee
relations
in
the
public
services:
a
paradigm
shift?
Susan
Corby
University
of
Greenwich
Since
the
early
1980s
there
has
been
a
reshaping
of
the
public
services
through
contracting
out,
privatisation,
purchaser/provider
splits
and
the
private
finance
initiative,
which
has
resulted
in
the
injection
of-market
principles
or
proxies
for
them
and
the
structural
blurring
of
the
public/private
sector
divide.
These
structural
changes
have
impacted
on
employee
relations
but
the
key
question
is
in
what
ways
has
there
been
change
and
what
is
the
extent
of
change.
Has
there
been
transition
towards
or
transformation
to
a
market
orientation?
According
to
the
Concise
Oxford
Dictionary
a
transformation
is
a
metamor-
phosis,
which
is
a
change
of
form
or
a
change
of
character.
According
to
Bach
(1999a)
transformation
is
purposeful
and
sustained,
while
Ferlie
et
al
(1996,
p.33)
argue
that
transformational
change
is
multi-dimensional,
multi-layered
and
fundamental.
Transformation
can
be
contrasted
with
transition,
where
strong
elements
of
continuity
persist
and
the
process
is
incremental
and
teleological.
According
to
the
Concise
Oxford
Dictionary
transition
is
the
process
of
changing
from
one
set
of
circumstances
to
another.
It
is
an
interim
stage.
This
article,
which
draws
mainly
from
the
civil
service
and
the
National
Health
Service
(NHS)
falls
into
five
sections.
The
first
section takes
an
overall
view
of
the
transformation/transition
debate
in
respect
of
public
service
employee
relations.
The
second
section
takes
the
debate
further
by
breaking
down
employee
relations
into
specific
issues
and
evaluating
the
areas
where
change
has
taken
place.
The
third
section
considers
whether
the
process
of
change
is
being
reversed
under
the
Labour
government.
The
fourth
section
looks
beyond
this
to
within
the
public
services.
In
the
fifth
section
conclusions
are
drawn.
The
argument
developed
here
is
that
complex
and
uneven
trends
can
be
seen
in
the
changing
nature
of
employee
relations
both
between
the
different
public
service
organisations
themselves
and
within
each
public
service
organisation.
Whereas
on
the
whole
transformation
is
a
more
appropriate
term
for
the
civil
service,
there
are
variations
in
the
extent
of
change
between
civil
service
executive
agencies.
Similarly,
whereas
on
the
whole
transition
is
a
more
appropriate
term
for
the
National
Health
Service,
there
are
variations
between
NHS
trusts.
Public
Policy
and
Administration
Volume
15
No.
3
Autumn
2000
60
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