A claim for an allowance for agriculture department technical officers is awaiting an adjudication hearing.

The claim, which is expected to be heard in the coming weeks, seeks an allowance for members who are not supervisory grades but are required to manage outside contractors.

The union and local representatives have put together a strong submission and expect a positive outcome from the hearing.

In the meantime, Fórsa has sought the suspension of new standard operating procedures, which extend the current co-operation being provided by staff, pending the outcome of the arbitration hearing.