What about the workers? BestValue, employment and work in local public services

Drawing on concepts about contemporary change in the labour process, includ ing the various dimensions of 'flexibility', work intensification and the ' new managerialism', the article discusses the emerging impact of BestValue on employment and work in local public services, including comparison with the impact of the previous compulsory competitive tendering regime. It argu es that BestValue is likely to lead to a reduction in local public employme nt, and substantially increase the ability of corporate management in local government to restructure the labour process to achieve increased flexibil ity and productivity, partly through the intensification of work. There are current proposals for a more participative approach to labour relations wh ich might strengthen the position of the workforce and trade unions, but th ese are unlikely to be sufficient to address all the issues raised by BestV alue.