Fórsa has welcomed progress in the local government Information and Communication Technology (ICT) dispute following a conciliation conference under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) last week.
The parties met on Monday 19th October, to determine a framework and timeline to progress discussions. It was agreed that the Local Government Management Authority (LGMA) will issue a formal response to documentation provided by Fórsa on ICT structure and grading, and will provide a final draft paper on continuous professional development, by today, Friday 30th October.
It was also agreed that discussions on proposals to deal with concerns surrounding out of hours work will begin by Friday 13th November at the latest.
Head of the local government and local services division Richy Carrothers said: “It’s positive to have a timeline agreed, now we need to ensure it is respected.”
“The parties have agreed to reconvene at the WRC on Wednesday 2nd December, which provides enough time to make meaningful progress on all of the key issues in this dispute. We’re determined to keep the momentum going to resolve the challenges faced by members, and so that this process doesn’t drag on.”
At the start of this year ICT workers in local authorities took part in work-to-rule industrial action over management’s failure to address their longstanding concerns around workload, staffing levels and the lack of recognition for the specialist nature of their work.
Approximately 500 Fórsa members work in ICT roles in local authorities. They are responsible for maintaining and supporting the computer systems and digital services used by councils to deliver essential public services, including housing, planning, finance, and customer-facing online services.
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