Employee Relations in the Public Services Themes and Issues [Paperback]

Almost a fifth of all employees work in the public sector. Employees working in the civil service, NHS, local government, education, the police and fire services also represent a large and growing body of students taking degree courses at universities.  Exploring this important and rapidly changing area, this book outlines the main developments in the public sector since 1979, including topical issues such as the rise of new public management, decentralisation and contracting out. Themes which currently affect public sector employees are examined, including:

* decentralization
* contracting out
* fragmentation and the growth of individualism in the employment contract.

This stimulating, up-to-date and intellectually rigorous text is thematic, rather than sector specific, and reflects the way this subject is taught in a range of courses.  It will complement alternative texts in this area and will be a  valuable resource for students of public policy, public sector management, human resource management, employee and industrial relations.

1. From the New Right to New Labour Susan Corby and Geoff White2. The economic and financial context: The Shrinking state Jean Shaoul3. The legal context: Public or private? Sandra Fredman4. The remuneration of public servants: Fair pay or new pay Geoff White5. Equal opportunities: Fair shares for all? Susan Corby6. Employment flexibility: Push or pull? Ariane Hegewisch7. Tendering and outsourcing: Working in the contract state Trevor Colling8. Quality Management: A new form of control? Miguel Martinez Lucio and Robert MacKenzie9. Personnel Managers: Managing to change Stephen Bach10. Trade Unions: The challenge of individualism Hamish Mathieson and Susan Corby