Three industrial actions

Last week there were reported three industrial actions - two by UHM and the other by MUT. The common factor was that the employer is the Government.

This is a common trend that most industrial actions are usually taken within the Public Service. There are two reasons - first is that the sector with the highest unionisation is the public sector and the second is that within the public sector, things, especially industrial, are not dealt with at the bud.

Usually, things are left to deteriorate. If an employee has got some grieniance, this is not dealt there and then, but left pending. Many times, the employee has no alternative but to turn to his union. Even here things stall as any clarification sought by the union regarding this grieviance is usually left unanswered for several months. And the only way out for the union is - industrial action.

Is it not possible for the public service to put its act together and deal with the complaints at the intial stages?