Industria relations 2008

摘要

During a recent london visit I found myself confronted by a sea of white caps moving in a quietly dignified way through the capital. It was a protest by thousands of police officers who were dismayed that their arbitrated pay award had been in, their terms, 'reneged upon', because the public, in the form of the democratically elected government, said things had changed and the country could not afford that level of salary.rnThis breach of understanding (accepting many of those more directly involved would say trust) posed the question in my mind, and I suspect in the minds of many others, of exactly what should now be our expectations for public pay policy. After all, if those that protect the heart of central government and who cannot deny the use of their labour are no longer be sure about gaining objectively-analysed and agreed rewards, where does that leave every other public servant?rnThere was a time, admittedly long gone, when lower public pay awards equated with stability of employment- so much so public employees had mortgages when their better-paid industrial counterparts relied on public housing. Several decades later, that notion has expired and been buried. Here some might cheer 'good riddance'. This is not in an unmarked grave though, for therernare far too many scars. It is a common grave however, since it also contains the 'spiritual' remains of certain jobs having a 'vocational and public ethos'.