Siptu to block pay agreement if outsourcing protections eased

The country’s largest trade union has said it will not recommend any new public service agreement that dilutes existing protections for staff against outsourcing of services.

Separately the association representing rank-and-file gardaí said any attempt by the Government to make gardaí pay higher contributions to take account of their faster-accruing pensions would be “categorically rejected”.

Siptu president Jack O’Connor said on Thursday the current restrictions on outsourcing which were set out in the Lansdowne Road Agreement should be maintained.

He said these represented a mechanism “to limit the degree to which the race-to-the-bottom can be introduced in publicly-funded work”.

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It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for any new public service agreement to be ratified by the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in the absence of the support of Siptu.

Earlier this week, Government representatives proposed relaxing the restrictions in the existing Lansdowne Road Agreement that exclude the cost of labour from being considered as part of any business case to outsource services .

Concerns

Meanwhile, the Garda Representative Association (GRA) told members that it had concerns about Government proposals for reforms of pensions, the continued requirement to work additional unpaid hours, more open recruitment and the introduction of fortnightly pay cycles.

In an update to members the GRA said: “Our involvement in these pay talks is to achieve full restoration of pay – and any attempt to make further pension deductions or denigrate Garda pensions will be seen as a sectoral pay reduction and will be categorically rejected. “

The GRA said there had been a request tabled by the Government representatives for direct entry and open recruitment at all ranks.

“While we have acceded to a proposal of condensed training for experienced police officers joining at garda rank; we have outlined our opposition to direct entry at management level. We firmly believe that the experience gained through regular policing in Ireland is invaluable, and that we have the skills and competencies within the organisation if properly identified and given appropriate guidance. A robust selection and recruitment process should accordingly identify leadership potential at all career stages.”

The GRA also said it would oppose the introduction of fortnightly pay arrangements which has been sought across the public service by Government representatives in the current talks.

The GRA said such a move would cause “undue financial hardship in its initial implementation with a substantial proportion of our members living week-to-week [and] many already suffering financial hardship and unsustainable debt levels as a direct result of government pay policy since 2009.”