Untitled Document

Ministry of Labour Relations, Public Service & Co-operatives

Negotiations Division

Role and Function

Secretariat to the Government Negotiating Team

Liaising with Public Sector Unions and Public Officials in dispute Prevention and Grievance Resolution Activities

Research Activities

Identifying Problems Affecting the Public Service

Assisting Statutory Bodies in Collective Bargaining Negotiations

About Us

The negotiation Unit is a Division within the Ministry responsible for the Public Service.

The role of the Negotiating Unit is to assist in establishing a stable industrial relations climate between Government and Public Sector Unions, not only when bargaining on wages, salaries and conditions of service, but also outside the collective bargaining process. The main functions of the Negotiation Unit are as follows:-

Secretariat to the Government Negotiating Team;
Liaising with Public Sector Unions and Permanent Secretaries/Heads of Department and other relevant officials to promote and clarify points of view and the arresting of any grievances that may arise (grievance monitoring);
Research – collecting, tabulating, collating, analyzing and presenting economic date pertaining to collective bargaining, grievance resolution and the dispute settlement process;
Identifying problems affecting the Public Service generally
i. Productivity
ii. Efficiency
When requested, assist Statutory Bodies in contract negotiations;
Any other related functions/duties as required by the Permanent Secretary responsible for the Public Service.

Secretariat to the Government Negotiating Team

The Head of the Negotiating Unit carries out the function of Secretary to the Government Negotiating Team. Normally, Cabinet appoints a Secretary of its choice but experience and convenience has shown that the Head of the Unit ought to be Secretary either officially or unofficially, because of the information that is at its disposal.

In the capacity of Secretary to the Government Negotiating Team, the officer must firstly co-ordinate meetings between Public Sector Unions and the Government Negotiating Team; secondly, the Officer must prepare the minutes of meetings between the parties, and thirdly, he or she must provide the Government Negotiating Team with information pertaining to the collective bargaining process and other information requested by the members of the Team.

Liasing with Public Sector Union & Public Officials in dispute Prevention & Grievance Resolution Activities

From time-to-time, personnel of the Unit are required to engage in fieldwork. The objective of fieldwork is to establish a rapport with the Public Sector Unions, Permanent Secretaries/Heads of Departments or their nominees and other public officials, about the kinds of grievances that have arisen or may arise at work generally. In doing this, the Unit is able to foresee the kinds of grievances that may be presented at the bargaining table and attempt to engage in activities to prevent them from reaching the table, most notably, by alerting the Permanent Secretary responsible for the Public Service.

The technique may be referred to as grievance monitoring and dispute prevention. When an officer undertakes that activity, he is required to write a report to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Public Service, indicating the following:-

The origin and nature of the grievance;
Recommendations submitted by the Permanent Secretaries/Heads of Departments and Public Sector Unions, if any, to address the grievance;
Organizational policy, Collective Agreements, Staff Orders, Cabinet Conclusions, Circulars and what sources of law have a bearing on the grievance or dispute and the recommendation for its resolution;
If the officer is unable to relate to (3) above, he ought to seek advice from the Permanent Secretary responsible for the Public Service or the Attorney General’s Office, or other pertinent service:
When a report has been made to the Permanent Secretary responsible for the Public Service, the Officer should monitor progress made in resolving the grievance.

Identifying Problems Affecting the Public Service

Should the committee of Industrial Relations of the Public Service be re-established, then the functions of that committee may include the following:-

To function as a Labour-Management Committee for the following purposes:-

To consider proposals and suggestions related to the work of the employee that would facilitate better relations between the employer and the employees and the work of the Employer;
To consider and recommend ways of improving and extending services to the public;
Receiving suggestions and questions from employees regarding terms and conditions of employment, excluding matters that are the responsibility of the Services Commissions and the Public Service Board of Appeal;
To seek to improve adverse working conditions that are causes of grievances and misunderstandings.

However, should the Research Officer III be made aware of changes that would represent better use of funds in any sector of the Public Service, such recommendations are to be discussed with the Permanent Secretary responsible for the Public Service, and the respective Permanent Secretary or Head of Department.

Assisting Statutory Bodies in Collective Bargaining Negotiations

The Unit may provide advice and information to Statutory Bodies when negotiating with recognised Unions. If required by Cabinet, the Unit may arrange for the Secretariat to assist or arrange for members of the Negotiating Team to assist Statutory Bodies at negotiation meetings.

Employment Application

Calendar

The Recruitment Process

Links

Email Webmaster

By using this site you have agreed to our Terms of Use and Privacy Statement.