FDA takes part in Civil Service Live 2009 at London Olympia

FDA organiser Sacha Dutta (second from right) at the FDA stand at Civil Service Live in Olympia

London's Civil Service Live took place from 7-9 July 2009 at Olympia, providing an opportunity for civil servants across all grades and areas to share best practice, attend workshops and seminars and hear high-profile speakers. It followed a similar event in Gateshead in March and a first London event in 2008. This year there was another chance to enter the Lions' Lair - a BBC Dragons' Den-style cross examination for civil servants with innovative ideas by a panel including 'dragon' Peter Jones.

Workshops and discussion groups were held throughout the three days, and included FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume discussing the need for constructive engagement between public sector employers and unions. His call for both employers and unions to "rethink" their approaches to industrial relations was set against an analysis of the current political and economic situations.

For more information on the event, please visit the Civil Service Live website.