Almost half of workers in the public sector say industrial action is necessary to protect public sector jobs, according to the Employee Outlook survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD).

The survey shows almost half of public sector workers (49%) agree with the statement ‘workers have to do what’s necessary to protect their jobs and if that disrupts public services, that’s the price of living in a democratic society’. This compares to just 27% of those in the private sector.

Mike Emmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, says: “These findings show that it is not just the government that has to tread softly in terms of how spending cuts are implemented. The trade unions too must understand that many private sector employees have already suffered pay freezes or cuts, job losses and cuts to pension entitlement and will be sensitive to any rhetoric by union leaders threatening strike action which does not appear to appreciate the sacrifices already made by those in the private sector.

“However, the government too must understand that it also has a key role to help prevent major public sector disputes though the language it uses and how information and messages are timed and communicated.”