ABSTRACT
This chapter considers evidence drawn from a three-year study of the introduction of Information technology (IT) into a major local authority, referred to as Caledonian Regional Council. It also considers a number of linked dimensions of the introduction of IT in local authority settings, including management strategy, trade union approach, the content and initial operation of a New Technology Agreement, and the reported changes in employee job content and control. The management strategy towards introduction was also influenced by the position of the labour movement within the organization. In all local authorities, union membership among office staff tends to be far higher than for any equivalent group in the private sector, and acts as a potential constraint on management behaviour. Overall, the evidence suggests that the increase in pace and volume of work throughput typically associated with IT in the office, combined with the highly variable changes in experienced job control, can push job interest and satisfaction in either direction.
