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Deprivileging the public sector workforce: Austerity, fragmentation and service withdrawal in Britain

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  • Stephen Bach

Abstract

The impact of the financial crisis has reignited debate about the scope and scale of public sector restructuring and its consequences for the workforce in Britain. The economic crisis precipitated austerity measures concentrated on expenditure reductions with the intention of reducing the public deficit. Because the public sector pay bill comprises over half of current public spending, achieving deficit reduction has major consequences for the total pay bill and the workforce. This article assesses the restructuring of the public sector and public sector employment relations in Britain and identifies underlying continuities in public sector restructuring over recent decades. Drawing on and repositioning New Labour’s legacy, the Coalition government used the economic crisis to establish a pro-austerity frame that has legitimated deep cuts in public sector employment and involved measures to refashion public sector employment relations. The article considers the consequences of this agenda and responses by trade unions and indicates some of the limits and uncertain prospects for public sector restructuring under conditions of austerity.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Bach, 2016. "Deprivileging the public sector workforce: Austerity, fragmentation and service withdrawal in Britain," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 27(1), pages 11-28, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecolab:v:27:y:2016:i:1:p:11-28
    DOI: 10.1177/1035304615627950
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    9. Geoff White & Alastair Hatchett, 2003. "The Pay Review Bodies in Britain Under the Labour Government," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 237-244, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephen Mustchin, 2017. "Public sector restructuring and the re-regulation of industrial relations: the three-decade project of privatisation, liberalisation and marketisation in Royal Mail," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 294-309, July.
    2. Tania Arrieta, 2022. "Austerity in the United Kingdom and its legacy: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 33(2), pages 238-255, June.
    3. Cameron Roles & Sukanya Ananth & Michael O’Donnell, 2022. "Reinforcing managerial prerogative in the Australian Public Service during the COVID-19 pandemic," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 33(1), pages 18-36, March.
    4. Oreste Florenzano & Paola Adinolfi & Rocco Palumbo, 2017. "Spending review tra austerity e razionalizzazione: l?esperienza della Regione Campania nel contenimento dei costi del personale," MECOSAN, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(104), pages 69-87.
    5. Andrea Ciarini & Stefano Neri, 2021. "‘Intended’ and ‘unintended’ consequences of the privatisation of health and social care systems in Italy in light of the pandemic," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 27(3), pages 303-317, August.
    6. Dennis Pepple & Kehinde Olowookere, 2021. "Towards an Understanding of the Dynamics of Work and Employment Relations during Austerity," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 281-297, June.
    7. Sue Williamson & Michael O’Donnell & Cameron Roles, 2016. "Bargaining over Australian public service cuts: Do forcing strategies work?," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 27(1), pages 46-63, March.
    8. Linda Colley & Shelley Woods & Brian Head, 2022. "Pandemic effects on public service employment in Australia," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 33(1), pages 56-79, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Austerity; employment conditions; global financial crisis; managerialism; public sector management; trade unions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • H50 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - General
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration
    • J45 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Public Sector Labor Markets

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