Fórsa has warned local government management that they will withdraw from the Workforce Planning process unless there is urgent and meaningful engagement with unions representing workers on the issue. 

A high-level meeting involving the unions, the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the County Council Management Agency (CCMA) and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government took place last month, to consider the process under consideration for Workforce Planning in the local government sector. 

Unions subsequently submitted a written observations document on the 24th of September, but despite reminders no acknowledgement or response has been received to date. 

Head of Local Government and Local Services (LGLS) and the Municipal Employees’ Divisions Richy Carrothers explained that the initial document from the Department was welcome, however, the lack of emphasis on union involvement and national oversight was something that could not be tolerated.  

“The outcome of this process is likely to set the staffing resources for the next decade or so. Furthermore, unlike the process in 2013 and 2014, many local authorities are using external consultants without any agreed parameters,” he said. 

Following on from this, at its most recent meeting, the union’s LGLS Divisional Executive Committee (DEC) took a very clear position that in the absence of agreed parameters and national oversight, the Workforce Planning process would not have the support of Fórsa.

Richy explained that local authorities are pressing on regardless of any template that will issue by the Department or the LGMA, and in the case of one employer, they confirmed in writing their intention to formally outsource all consultation with staff and stakeholders, thus reinforcing concerns that Fórsa has expressed to date. 

“Nationally I have put management on notice that unless we receive an urgent and meaningful response over the coming days, then Fórsa will be withdrawing from any such process and will be left with no alternative but to formally declare a dispute. This is entirely avoidable. Such departures represent clear breaches of the PSA 2024-2026, the Information and Consultation Act, and rudimentary industrial relations norms,” he said. 

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