XN000022-1982-04-15 — Page 18

17

CONSULTATION INVOLVES PARTNERS NOT ADVERSARIES

****

PARTIES ENGAGED IN CONSULTATION, WHETHER STAFF OR MANAGEMENT ARE EQUAL PARTNERS IN DISCUSSION, NOT ADVERSARIES IN MELODRAMATIC CONFRONTATION, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING ON +CONSULTATION RIGHT ATTITUDES AND RIGHT ARRANGEMENTS+ AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE FIRST CONFERENCE FOR EDUCATIONAL WORKERS UNIONS, MR HAYE SAID PARTICIPANTS MUST CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS BY EXPRESSING THEIR VIEWS FULLY - NOT JUST AS A SERIES OF ASSERTIONS, BUT WITH FACTS AND WITH THOROUGHLY CONSIDERED ARGUMENTS.

+ABOVE ALL, THEY MUST BE PREPARED TO LISTEN, TO CONSIDER, TO SEE THE OTHER POINT OF VIEW.+

MR HAYE SAID THE RIGHT ATTITUDES ALONE WERE NOT

SUFFICIENT WITHOUT THE RIGHT ARRANGEMENTS, THE RIGHT MACHINERY.

HE LISTED FOUR REQUIREMENTS WHICH, HE SAID, MUST BE MET BY ANY CONSULTATIVE ARRANGEMENT OF THIS KIND.

* IT MUST GIVE STAFF FULL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON PROPOSED CHANGES WHICH AFFECT THEM;

* STAFF REPRESENTATIVES MUST BE GIVEN ALL THE

INFORMATION THEY REQUIRE TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY IN DISCUSSIONS;

* MANAGERS MUST TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN THE

DISCUSSIONS; AND

* STAFF MUST BE ABLE TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT

THEY ARE PROPERLY REPRESENTED AND THAT EVERYTHING IS REPORTED BACK TO THEM FULLY AND ACCURATELY.

MR HAYE THEN DESCRIBED IN SOME DETAIL THE CONSTITUTION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL (EDCC) WHICH, HE SAID, FULLY MET THE FOUR REQUIREMENTS.

BESIDES FORMAL CONTACTS THROUGH THE EDCC, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION MOST DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORK AND WELFARE OF PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTAL GRADES NOW HOLD REGULAR AND INFORMAL MEETINGS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF STAFF ASSOCIATIONS OR UNIONS TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST.

+FORMALITIES ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM AT THESE MEETINGS AND THEY HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES TO BE A MOST USEFUL FORUM IN WHICH THE STAFF CAN RAISE MATTERS OF CONCERN, AND BY MEANS OF WHICH ! AS DIRECTOR CAN ENSURE THAT I AM FULLY INFORMED AS TO WHAT THESE MATTERS ARE,+ MR HAYE SAID.

FOR EXCEPTIONAL PROBLEMS, HE SAID, HIS DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS AND UNIONS, AND IN THE PAST HIS DIALOGUE WITH STAFF HAD PROVED VERY SUCCESSFUL. +THE RIGHT SPIRIT, THE RIGHT ATTITUDES AND THE RIGHT ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD PRODUCE THE RIGHT RESULTS IN FUTURE,+ HE SAID.

0

/18