April 12, 2011
According to a recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), more than 70% of employers predict a rise in industrial action over the next 12 months.
In addition to the 71% who fear a rise, 33% also believe that that internal strikes from workers within their own organisations are likely.
Earlier this year, 400 organisations were surveyed as part of the CIPD's Employment Relations Survey, and the alarming results were reflected across the board, with just under half of all public sector employers saying their workers may strike in the coming year - compared with just 18% in the private sector.
"The survey highlights the impact that spending cuts are having on the employment relations climate. However, to what extent this deterioration in relations between management and unions will result in sustained strike action by public sector workers is open to question," commented Ben Willmott, Senior Public Policy Adviser at the CIPD.
But while employers may fear a rise in staff-lead action, the survey also highlighted a slight deterioration in relations with trade unions. While 55% of employers surveyed described relations between management and unions as "positive", this figure was down 10% on the same survey just two years prior.
And according to Mr Willmott, a separate CIPD survey, the October 2010 Employee Outlook, while the public may sympathise with workers suffering under tough government austerity measures, nearly 75% of employees agree that striking public sector workers will quickly lose sympathy if they cause disruption public services.
"This might suggest that while there is a lot of union rhetoric about the possibility of strike action - as there was in 2008 - when it comes to actually coming on strike, employees today are much harder to mobilise than they were during past times of economic and social crisis," he added.
