THE Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) is potentially the most important development in the Civil Service since the foundation of the State, the general secretary of the Civil and Public Service Union, Mr John O'Dowd, told delegates.
"The public sector is now seen by governments of the industrialised world as a critical factor in the achievement of national competitiveness. This, inevitably, puts pressure on governments and Civil Service managers to control costs and increase performance," he said.
While he congratulated members on their successful opposition to the Government's embargo on public service recruitment, he went on to say: "We cannot stand back from the numbers and pretend they are only a problem for Government.
"Usual Civil Service recruitment is 550 posts a year. Last year this doubled to 1,121. If such growth were to continue at that rate then huge pressure would fall on the Civil Service pay bill, and a hostile media and business sector would scream even louder for cutbacks and pay freezes."
The union accepted the need for a better quality service for the public, he said, and the latest SMI report, Delivering Better Government, was "weak on proposals for staff involvement in the change process".
Mr O'Dowd added: "There needs to be stronger recognition that front line staff having direct contact with the public are the key to the success of the Civil Service. Their skills and status require upgrading to improve service quality.
"It is clear that successful organisational change requires action both from the top down, that is leadership from the top, and from the bottom up, or empowerment of and action by operational staff". He said the union had to see SMI as a challenge, not a threat.
Delegates told the union to oppose any attempts to privatise Telecom Eireann. They also called on their executive to withdraw cooperation with the use of FAS trainees in Telecom.
Several delegates said the trainees were being used to avoid filling full time job vacancies. A Cork delegate alleged that some managers Were recruiting relatives through FAS schemes. He claimed that in one case a manager's wife was allowed to work from home on a phone and fax line paid for by Telecom.
A vote of no confidence was passed in the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates. Delegates said he should either apologise, or resign, over his remarks about clerical staff filling out crossword puzzles instead of serving the farming community during the recent work to rule.