Absfruct. During the last decade, labour relations in the public service have been subject to pressures for change, less direct, given their protected character, than in the private sector. but not less strong.The main factors of change are (only) in part common to those operating in private sector labour relations: economic constraints and budgetary restrictions, coupled with a general reaction toward the 'public' in general have putpressure on employment whose costs represent the major part of public expenditures; the need for greater productivity and efficiency has been increasing in order to reduce labour costs and (possibly) meet the growing demand for (social) services; technological innovations (office authomation. computerization and the like) are spreading; the impact of the international competition has begun to be felt not only indirectly via constraints on the state budgets but directly in those sectors of public services which can be somehow 'transportable' across borders and hence exposed to foreign initiatives (public works, TLC, to some extent health services.All these factors are emphasized by the European unification process which has already introduced limits in the monetary and financial autonomy of the member states.' 1. During the last decade labor relations in the public service have been subject to pressures for change less direct, given their protetcted character, than in the private sector, but not less strong. The reactions have not been analysed systematically on a comparative basis; but the attention of public opinion and of the academics on the public sector has certainly increased.Any speculation on the future of public employement must proceed from a review of the recent past. We have not enough knowledge to undertake here such a review: only a few tentative traits can be presented, drawing from the analysis of a few European countries (namely France, Italy, U.K., F.R.G.).The main factors of change are (only) in part common to those operating in private sector labor relations: economic constraints and budge-
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