Gov�t should tread carefully With Public Service Trade Unions

Monitor Editor | Monday November 14, 2016 12:52

Literally, government is refusing to come to the negotiating table, leaving the public service unions and most importantly the more than 100,000 public service workers, a frustrated lot once again. A frustrated public service, especially a very large public service such as ours, can spell disaster for a country, for the economy, for the government of the day and even for the ruling Party. It seems the lessons of the past have no meaning. They have not taught anyone, especially in government any wisdom. 

It is this seemingly arrogant attitude of government when dealing with public service unions that cost the economy undisclosed billions in 2011 when the public service unions went into a protracted three-months strike whose reverberations were felt at the 2014 polls, where the ruling party was heavily bruised.  One would have imagined that the lessons from the 2014 General Elections would have by now caused the ruling Party’s government to change its strategy for the better in its relations with the public service unions and with the public service by extension.

Interestingly, some of these attitudes exhibited during the PSBC are tantamount to violations of established statutes and the rule of law by a government that is supposed to pride itself in the upholding of its statutes. By law, government is required to come to the bargaining table not just to appear and fold arms, but to negotiate with honesty, whole-heartedly and with the interests of the nation, in this case, the same government’s own workforce, at heart. Creating a bad impression as government and employer, can have undesirable consequences.