MICHAEL DEMPSEY - Cranfield University

Conclusions
see constraints on their ability to manage deriving from the trade union
context, either because systems are not geared up, either practically or
culturally, to enable them to tackle staff behaviour or because of the
political environment in which they work.
Systems relating to moral rules
The predominant value identified by PCS managers as influencing their
behaviour is that of fairness. Trade unionists do seem to be aware that
there is something called a trade union principle but to be less able to
offer a definition of it – the idea, as expressed by one manager, that
they were there but you didn’t have to write them down. This person
had identified mutual protection as the principle which came most
easily to mind – mutual protection in the face of unfairness, one might
speculate. Similarly, openness, listening to people, treating people as
one would want one’s members to be treated – these all have a similar
overtone.
The principle of representative rationality is one which is of particular
interest in PCS because of aspects of the genesis of the union, where
activist power was limited by a process of balloting the membership.
This has caused continuing conflict at activist level and it would have
been surprising if this were not reflected in some of the views of the
union’s managers. On the other hand, the same Rule Book has
facilitated the setting up of large numbers of advisory groups, forums,
committees in which membership views are sought and some
managers are positive about these and about the very process of
involving lay members. It seems unlikely that shared values about the
systems of representative rationality of the union will emerge until the
conflicts still engulfing the union are brought to a consensual
conclusion.
Managerial Activities
Deploying resources
PCS has never established a systematic link between objectives,
finance and budgets. The budget preparation process may genuflect in
the direction of objectives but the system is not holistic. As we have
seen, there is no shared view on the devolution of budgets and the
whole approach, therefore, is consistent with the centralised nature of
the system.
One feature of the system that is, however, evident is the way in which
managers express notions of ‘fairness’ related to the protection of
minorities in the deployment of resources and the extent of attention
which they receive. Whilst this may not always have been evident on
the ground, those who addressed it were highly committed to the
principle.
In deploying physical space, there was an attempt to mix partner union
staff, even if there were no concomitant corporate managerial activities
which might have supported that. Individual managers undertook their
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