Fórsa has pledged to seek the introduction of job evaluation schemes in all relevant employments in the public service and elsewhere.

 

There were three motions on job evaluations which were adopted at Fórsa’s national conference in Kerry. Two of the motions called for the union to pursue job evaluations across the public sector, and the third called for them to be pursued within all the union’s divisions.

 

The union won the introduction of a job evaluation scheme for some health service grades after a long campaign and a threat of industrial action. The scheme has been in place since the end of last year and there has been huge demand, with hundreds of applications.

 

Fórsa representatives also recently met officials from the Department of Education and Skills to start talks on job evaluation in the higher education sector. The Labour Court asked the union to submit a ‘business case’ for the introduction of a local government scheme, while the union’s civil service division has also sought a scheme.

 

Job evaluation is an established tool that allows the knowledge, skills and responsibilities associated with individual jobs – rather than grades or staff categories – to be assessed and appropriately rewarded. While a job evaluation doesn’t guarantee an upgrading, it enables it to happen if the responsibilities of a job have increased enough.

 

Speaking in support of the motions, Fórsa national secretary Peter Nolan said the union wanted all its members to have the opportunity to have their jobs independently assessed, but said schemes would likely differ in details to suit the sectors and services concerned.

Further information on job evaluation is available here and here.