Conditions of service

Ø 1) Would you read the text further if you were interested in the topic “Civil service”?

Ø 2) Name “the signal words” which help the author of the text to introduce a new idea, to develop the idea, to provide the idea with examples, to explain the idea, and to make a conclusion.

The forerunners of civil servants had duties but no rights. Later they gathered into professional groups similar to trade unions. They raised the question whether they could strike to improve their conditions of service. Obviously it was necessary to have a recognized system for regulating servants’ conduct and discipline.

As for a civil servant’s conduct, he/she should be a loyal, competent, and obedient employee. Ideally, a civil servant should be above any suspicion of partiality and should not let personal sympathies, loyalties, or interests affect the performance of duties.

As a general rule, a civil servant is not allowed to engage directly or indirectly in any trade or business. He/she may participate in social or charitable organizations only if they are not connected with official duties. There are always strict limits on a civil servant’s right to lend or borrow money, and they are prohibited from accepting gifts.

There are different attitudes about participation of civil servants in political activities. One view is that a civil servant has the same constitutional rights as other citizens and that it is therefore unconstitutional to limit those rights. In France and Germany civil servants can engage in political activities. The opposing view is that, since civil servants are engaged in the unique function of national government, their integrity and loyalty to their political masters might be affected by active participation in political affairs, and public confidence in their impartiality could be shaken. The United Kingdom totally bans its senior civil servants to engage in any form of political activity.

Traditionally, governments disliked civil service unions, and in the past servants’ strikes were unlawful. Nevertheless strikes occurred, and governments eventually approved of trade unions. The United Kingdom was the first country to establish negotiating machinery for civil servants in 1917. Many governments also established permanent channels for negotiating such matters as salaries and discipline.

Ø 3) Where and how can you use the text information? Which information from the text is redundant?

Ø 4) Write an annotation to the text.