Members of the Bermuda Public Services Association this week prepared themselves for the increasing demands of global competition.

John Pilgrim, Executive Director of the National Productivity Council of Barbados, presented a two-day "Productivity and Performance Management'' seminar on understanding productivity and its role in the collective bargaining process.

Roughly 50 executive and general council members, negotiating teams, and secretarial staff took part in the forum.

And Thelma Hart, BPSA assistant general secretary and chairperson of the education committee, said the event attracted a diverse cross-section of members.

"We got a better understanding of how productivity relates to our pay packets and to the overall social fibre of the country,'' explained Ms Hart.

"We got a great understanding of the inputs and the outputs necessary to bring about productivity and make it better for everybody.'' Ms Hart said the BPSA recognised new trends in international competition and market share made a "paradigm shift'' imperative and praised the quality of members' participation.

"Improved productivity is a concern for all the social partners since, for the workers it has implications for improved salary conditions, better quality work life, and better working conditions,'' said Ms Hart.

"For the employer, (there are) the implications of improved profitability, efficiency, and better product quality.

"These also feature prominently in any productivity driven effort within the corporate setting.

"For Government, (there can be) improved and better productivity by public service workers.

"(Of) concern would be improved services, increased tax revenues collected from better business performances and Government's ability to save more and deliver more from improved productivity habits and strategies on the part of workers.'' The seminar's topics included the relevance and importance of productivity in a global environment, blocks to productivity, incentive and compensation schemes, and the relationship between unions, governments and the private sector.

UNIONS UNS