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WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1990
"MY POINT IS A SIMPLE ONE. THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE SERVICE FURTHER MEANS EITHER CUTTING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC OR AT LEAST LIMITING THE RANGE OF SERVICES PROVIDED, HE SAID.
"AT THAT STAGE, WHICH MAY COME SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, I HOPE MEMBERS WILL COME FORWARD WITH THEIR IDEAS ON WHICH PUBLIC SERVICES SHOULD BE CURTAILED AND WHICH GROUP OF CIVIL SERVANTS MADE REDUNDANT," HE ADDED.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID HE SHARED THE CONCERN OF MEMBERS OVER UNREST IN SOME SECTORS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE. "BUT THE PROBLEM SHOULD ALSO BE SEEN IN PROPORTION."
"OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, ONLY 13 OUT OF THE 340 GRADES HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY FORM OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION. WITHOUT WISHING ΤΟ CONDONE SUCH ACTIONS, I SHOULD RECORD THAT IN THE MAIN THEY WERE RESTRAINED AND SHORT-LIVED. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE INCIDENT NONE INVOLVED A FULL STRIKE, HE ADDED.
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SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL OTHER DISPUTES BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES, SOME OF WHICH ATTRACTED PUBLIC ATTENTION.
**BUT. AND THIS IS THE IMPORTANT POINT, ALL WERE SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED THROUGH DIRECT AND FRANK DISCUSSION."
"THEY HAD NO IMPACT ON EITHER THE LEVEL OR QUALITY OF SERVICE PROVIDED ΤΟ THE PUBLIC. THESE SIMPLE STATISTICS ILLUSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EXISTING CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY, HE ADDED.
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY EXPLAINED THAT THE MACHINERY WAS ELABORATE AND STARTED AT THE PERSONAL LEVEL, WITH SEVERAL AVENUES FOR COMPLAINTS AND ADVICE. "THESE ARE WELL-KNOWN TO STAFF AND WELL-USED.
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AT THE NEXT LEVEL, EACH OF THE 52 DEPARTMENTS HAD A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEK, IN SOME CASES MORE THAN ONE, IN WHICH GRIEVANCES AND SUGGESTIONS COULD BE VOICED.
"REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH ATTEND THESE ACT AS A LINK BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. AND, AT CENTRE, THERE ARE FOUR CONSULTATIVE COUNCILS IN WHICH MANAGEMENT STAFF REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS SERVICE-WIDE MATTERS SUCH AS REVIEWS, ALLOWANCES, HOUSING AND OTHER CONDITIONS OF SERVICE," DAVID SAID.
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"STAFF ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN THE SERVICE ARE WELL ORGANISED FIGHT HARD FOR THEIR MEMBERS. WE HAVE ENCOURAGED THEIR DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE
BELIEVE IN CONSULTATION AND THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES THROUGH FRANK FORMAL NEGOTIATION.
"WITH 190,000 PEOPLE IN THE SERVICE WE MUST HAVE PROPER MACHINERY FOR CONSULTATION IN ALL GRADES AND AT ALL LEVELS; THE
INFORMAL STYLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR SIMPLY WOULD NOT WORK.
/"THE SUCCESS