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Last updated: 06 April 2010
CAB 057-10
6 April 2010
Guidance for employers and trade unions on how best to support the public sector workforce and deliver world class public services whilst tackling the challenges of the economic downturn has been launched today.
The paper, Principles of Good Employment Practice [PDF 91KB, 4 pages], has been drawn up by Public Services Forum. It provides a set of principles which employers and trade unions can embed into their employment practices to strengthen the public sector workforce and tackle the effects of the recession. These principles include a focus on training and development, health and well-being in the workplace, and maintaining the quality of work, whilst appreciating the importance of value for money and efficiency.
The paper highlights the importance of employers and trade unions continuing to engage in constructive dialogue on reform and service change and to work in partnership to tackle the challenges of economic downturn.
Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said:
“At a time when budgets are increasingly under pressure we need to encourage and support partnerships between the Government, public sector employers and trade unions. There is a wealth of examples of great practice in partnership working and we need to promote and build on this.
This paper sets out some key principles to generate discussion and debate between employers and trade unions to help support, and strengthen our public sector workforce during these challenging times and to provide the opportunities to work innovatively to deliver more efficient and effective public services.”
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, Trades Union Congress.
“Properly supported, rewarded and valued staff are the key to delivering world class public services as Britain moves out of recession. These new Principles set out how government, public sector employers and trade unions can work together to ensure that staff are placed at the heart of efforts to ensure that Britain's public services thrive in the years ahead, delivering high quality, effective, value for money services for service users and the broader community.”
The Public Services Forum was set up in 2003 by Prime Minister Blair to improve national dialogue between Government, public service trade unions, and public and private sector employers.
The Public Services Forum is chaired by Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Cabinet Office. It brings together central Government Departments, public sector employers from Local Government, Health, the Prison Service, the Police and the Probation Association, representatives of the public sector Trade Unions (led by Brendan Barber, TUC) and third and private sector partners delivering public services.
The Public Services Forum seeks aims to improve the delivery of public services by working in partnership to consider current and emerging workforce issues that are critical public services reform. It helps to frame cross-cutting policy, ensure more active involvement of the workforce in a range of system-wide issues that impact across different public services, and lever more effective implementation of change.
Further information on the Public Services Forum and a report recently published on the first five years of activity is available at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/workforcematters.aspx.