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July 22, 2008
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
We had a meeting today to discuss Hampshire's proposed communications strategy. In the downloads you can read HPA's proposals and read Napo's response. What concerns us at present is HPA's attitude to the unions...
This is an extract for our response to the consultation:
TRADE UNIONS
'In paragraph 4 there is mention of the trade unions. We reiterate that consultation will not suffice at times. Nor would we accept that the management side will have the only say on what is relevant in terms of topics for discussion or information exchange. We are here being ‘consulted’ about HPA’s internal communications, ever-mindful that the chief officer has done his best to weaken Napo’s capacities to communicate and organise. HPA needs to come out of denial about the limits of consultation. We look to see evidence of HPA’s recognition of the importance of the dissemination of information as it would be far preferable to making freedom of information requests. We also, of course, communicate as best we can with our membership and as the recognised trade union for 270 members of staff we expect HPA to respect our representative role and not seek to undermine our consultation exercises with our membership. Sometimes the trade unions may lead opinion, quite rightly, on issues, but more often they represent the opinions and concerns of their membership and in communicating with staff HPA should look to partner, not marginalise, the trade unions. Going over the heads of the trade unions is not effective communication and does not work.'
Posted by Hampshire at July 22, 2008 09:41 PM