The demise of Ireland’s ‘social partnership’ between the government, Irish Congress of Trades Unions (Ictu) and the main employer bodies (Ibec/CIF) presents new challenges for successful people management.

Managers in the public service will have to engage much more closely with their employees and shift away from the partnership process of mainly dealing with mid to senior-level trade union officials and representatives.

Public service unions are in a tough position as their dispute is essentially a political one with government policy but their industrial muscle is largely restricted to service quality for the general public. They are under pressure to ‘be seen’ to be defending the  earnings and conditions of their 300,000 members while also conscious of their repeated assertions that they want to see improved public services – especially in health, education and housing – for all citizens.

“The pre-Budget negotiations in December 2009 effectively ran out of time with key players holding back on their offers until well past the 11^th hour.“

The Ictu Public Services Committee is in a difficult position as its proposed 12 days ‘unpaid holidays’ or additional leave  formula – allied to improved efficiencies and flexible work practices – was poorly presented and failed to secure either political or public support. The pre-Budget negotiations in December 2009 effectively ran out of time with key players holding back on their offers until well past the 11^th hour.

Even if an agreement had been reached to avoid reduced public service earnings there is no assurance that the trade union leaders could actually ensure delivery of the proposed efficiencies and cost savings. There is also a serious risk of disruptive industrial action further alienating public perceptions of public sector employees.

The unions’ fall-back position is likely to centre on recovering the 2010 Budget pay cuts in exchange for implementation of the generally agreed potential cost savings.

These were valued alone at about €500m in the health sector and potentially at over €1.2 billion throughout public service agencies, schools, colleges, security, government departments and healthcare.

Now is the time for public service managers to clearly identify the efficiencies achievable in their specific workplaces and detail the requirements for their employees rather than waiting for some renewed form of national deal-making.

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