C/HR/72. Impact of ‘Modernisation Reforms on the Public Service Employee Relations

The report looks at the impact of ‘modernisation reforms introduced by the Labour Party in 1997 on the employee relations in the fire service. Much of UK government policy since the 1980s has been dominated by a reform agenda based on privatizing, commercializing or marketing public sector provisions. Since 1997 this agenda has focused on the ‘modernisation of key public services including health, education, local government and the civil service. The analysis provides an account of the implementation of these reforms in the fire service and how they conform to the ‘hard HRM practices.