Municipal service employees are usually either professional/managerial staff or unskilled and semi-skilled employees (such as sweepers, collectors, conservancy workers, labourers), of whom there can be large numbers. The former are usually small in number, usually without collective representation (a union or association), and have more transferable and desirable skills. It is also likely that they will be informed to some extent, and will have formed a view on whether or not they are in agreement with the shift to a private sector operator. The less skilled employees typically work in poor conditions, with facilities, equipment or clothing that usually inadequately reflect health and safety concerns. In many developing countries conditions are extremely bad. Income levels are also extremely low. A sweeper in Nepal in the case illustrated in Box 6.7, for instance, earns approximately US$25 per month.
In most situations, a local government-workers' union or association will represent their interests. However, their characteristics can vary greatly. Sometimes they are simply 'management unions', under the effective control of management. In some contexts, such as in Nepal where trade unions are in their infancy, workers are represented by weak organisations. In other highly politicised contexts such as South Africa, the trade unions are key stakeholders in partnership negotiations. National and public sector unions have had a key role in defining the approach to municipal services, and private sector approaches can only occur after direct municipal delivery options have been considered. In some cases, local unions have gone along with private sector participation plans, but were later over-ruled by national bodies that opposed the new arrangements in principle.