The latest Spring 2023 edition of the Fórsa Garda Civilian bulletin includes details of the progress of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, and on the activation this week of the union’s grassroots political campaign on the legislation.

The campaign will see members engage in outreach in their communities, lobbying local representatives to communicate their concerns about the Bill.

Member activists began the process this week by emailing their local TDs seeking a meeting, and have been equipped with a comprehensive, step-by-step lobbying guide by Fórsa’s Strategic Organising Unit.

Fórsa represents more than 3,000 Garda civilian staff employed by the Department of Justice who work in a wide variety of non-policing roles alongside Gardaí.

The union says its Garda civilian members have very deep concerns about provisions in the Bill that will empower the Garda Commissioner to recruit Garda staff directly into the police service rather than to the Civil Service, as is currently the case.

Fórsa made representations to the Oireachtas Justice Committee during pre-legislative scrutiny last year to convey the union’s position that Garda Civilians were not consulted on the legislation.

Fórsa lead organiser Grace Williams said activists will be talking to their TDs to put pressure on the Minister for Justice to ensure that department begins an independently arbitrated negotiation process with Fórsa as a matter of urgency: “It’s crucial that our activists convey this message to TDs. The implications of the Bill are far-reaching for our civilian members.

“Furthermore, the legislation reaches into every community in the country. It’s vital that we have the voice of Garda Civilian staff included in the legislative process,” she said.

Fórsa official Jim Mitchell explained: “Garda civilian staff provide a crucial range of services to the public, in roles that ensure Gardaí have greater capacity for direct policing work. As civil service staff, they complement the important work of the Gardaí.

“The proposal in the legislation would change the employment status of these civilian staff very significantly, confining them to the employment of An Garda Síochana,” he said.

Fórsa is to seek clarity on civil service probation policies after an EU Directive on Transport and Predictable Working Conditions was transposed into Irish law in December 2022.

The directive seeks to bring additional transparency to the terms of employment for workers in several areas, including precarious working, fixed term contracts and probationary periods.

Irish civil service workers are currently expected to spend twelve months on probation when appointed, but Ireland is somewhat of an outlier in this regard. There is evidence that probation periods across a range of sectors in Ireland is longer than in other EU countries. The new directive recognises this and sets out to reduce standard probation to six months, but for public service workers, it states that their probation shall not exceed twelve months.

Fórsa official Seán Carabini explained that Fórsa is now taking a claim to the Civil Service General Council to seek to have the standard civil service probationary period reduced from twelve months to six months on this basis.

“The directive indicates that probationary periods of longer than six months should be the exception as opposed to the rule, and states that a person moving to a new position shouldn’t be subject to ‘prolonged insecurity’,” he said.  

When asked if this will impact anyone who is currently serving on probation, he said it was too early to say.

“We’re only beginning the conversation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) on the matter. It will be interesting, though, to see how the conversation develops especially given that we have, in effect, two different types of probation for civil service workers. Legally, new entrant probation is a different thing to promotion probation. These things will have to be teased out. But the first order of priority is to establish the DPER position on the matter and take things from there,” he said.

Seán stressed that the union’s power to negotiate effectively on these issues is directly related to membership density, and urged new civil service workers to join Fórsa.

“For us to be able to make these representations on behalf of probationers, it is vitally important that they join Fórsa. If there is a new civil service worker in your office, get them to join. It’s on all of us to recruit new members.

“Probation is a very dangerous time for workers because it is during probation that they have the fewest employment rights. Workers shouldn’t be subjected to this for longer than is absolutely necessary. The more members we have, the more bargaining power we will have to protect new civil service workers during their probation,” he said

Seán also highlighted the proposed Civil Service Bill that sets out to change laws governing civil service workers and called on Government to “be serious about minimising precarious working conditions”.

“Let’s not forget that the government is also trying to introduce a new civil service bill that would make it easier to fire civil service workers by downgrading the responsibility for firing from Secretary General to lower grades," he said.

"If the Irish government is serious about minimising precarious working conditions, it can send a very clear signal by agreeing to reduce probationary terms and not adopting the new proposed Civil Service Bill. I still find it remarkable that after a period when our civil service workers stepped up to the plate and kept a country going during a pandemic that there are still those who are hell bent on bringing in a metric that would measure civil service efficiency in terms of how easy it is to fire someone. I certainly don’t want to see a time where number of staff fired is considered a ‘tick’ on the PMDS form of a senior manager or as a ‘good’ statistic on a Department’s annual report. Because that’s precisely the road that this Bill sets us on,” he said.

It’s never been more important – or easier– to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

Fórsa has written to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, to express what it says are the union’s ‘grave concerns’ on the proposed rate of pay, allocated for domestic violence leave, under the provisions of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill (2022).

In a letter to the minister sent last Friday (10th February), Fórsa national secretary Ashley Connolly said the union ‘strongly’ believes workers requiring domestic violence leave should be paid in full. The Bill proposes a sick leave rate, which caps payment at 70% of salary, or €110 per day.

Ashley added: “The purpose of paid domestic violence leave is to ensure financial stability, and any reduction in pay for those who require it is wholly unacceptable.

“Research has proven that financial control by abusers is one of the reasons people struggle to escape domestic abuse. Those experiencing abuse may not have financial independence or full control of their own finances.

“If a person’s income is monitored or appropriated by their abuser - or both - a change in their normal salary may alert the abuser, putting the victim at risk,” she said.

Ashley said Fórsa supports the call by Womens’ Aid for ten days of fully paid leave ‘as best practice’, urging the minister to consider positions on this expressed by a number of senators at the Seanad Committee Stage debate on 31st January.

She added: “We want this leave to work. Fórsa wants to see those who need this leave avail of it. This legislation should not impose barriers for those navigating a pathway out of domestic abuse,” she said.

At the union’s conference in May last year, Fórsa delegates unanimously backed a conference motion for statutory paid leave for victims of domestic violence. The conference motion committed the union to actively campaign to legislate for an effective statutory entitlement to paid leave for victims of domestic violence.

The union is also committed to encouraging its own networks to raise the issue of workplace supports for victims and survivors of domestic violence with employers, and to investigate the potential of extending the union’s own counselling service to include a dedicated confidential service for victims of domestic abuse and gender-based violence.

The next instalment of the Fórsa Skills Academy ‘Lunch and Learn’ series will take place on Friday 24th February from 1pm – 2pm, focusing on public speaking.

The hour-long virtual session will set out the principles of public speaking and will be particularly useful for those considering speaking or proposing motions at their upcoming divisional conference. Whilst these sessions are predominantly for information, there will be opportunities for participants to ask questions via the chat function.

The ‘Lunch and Learn’ series aims to give members the knowledge to support them as a union member or representative whilst supplementing the broad range of training programmes currently being offered by Skills Academy. The virtual sessions will take place on the last Friday of very month from 1pm – 2pm, exploring different topics.

Members interested in attending should register their interest HERE.

Fórsa members at An Bord Pleanála (ABP) have spoken out about their concerns about “serious damage to the hard-won reputation for integrity” of the national planning body.

They have also criticised circumstances which has seen media organisations gain access to important internal reports which have not been released to the public or staff.

In a brief statement issued this week, the Fórsa branch at ABP, which is part of the union’s Services and Enterprises division, sought to reiterate: “In the interests of transparency and public disclosure all such reports should be made available to the public.

“Staff fully support the efforts of senior management and the new Interim Chair to get to the bottom of claims of impropriety within the Board.

“Staff are fully willing to engage with the Senior Counsel appointed by the Chair to investigate all allegations.”

The statement by Fórsa members at ABP said allegations associated with a small number of individuals have caused serious damage to the hard won reputation for integrity of the organisation: “Fórsa notes that no members of the union have been subject to any allegations and the union supports strong action to deal with real or perceived conflicts of interest.”

Fórsa trade union is one of the organisations who have joined up with Le Chéile – a cross-sectoral alliance working together to challenge the far right in Ireland – and the NWCI for the #IrelandForAll rally tomorrow (18^th February).

The union’s officers this week formally backed Fórsa joining the alliance, and to support its anti-racism rally taking place in Dublin tomorrow.

The union’s banner will be among those visible tomorrow at the #IrelandForAll rally, which starts at 1.30pm at Parnell Square, from where it will make its way to the Customs House.

Fórsa activists, members and staff will be rallying to the messages of #DiversityNotDivision and #RefugeesWelcome, and will be joining the rally from all over the country. The union will also have transport available from Galway and Cork for those wishing to attend.

Fórsa’s head of Education Andy Pike said Fórsa’s participation in the rally tomorrow was an important statement to oppose attempts by far-right organisations to spread hate, fear and misinformation about refugees and asylum seekers: “These groups been targeting working-class communities in recent months, stoking unwarranted fear and resentment.

“The trade union movement has a proud history of opposing racism, bigotry and sectarianism. In joining the rally tomorrow, Fórsa participants are proudly opposing those malign forces. Racism has no place in Irish society, and we will reinforce that important message tomorrow,” he said.

Fórsa organisers Dylan Archbold and Amy Moran said the union stands in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers. Dylan, who works with Fórsa’s Education division, said: “The recent protests by the far right have been deliberate attempts to intimidate those in direct provision and emergency accommodation.

“The trade union movement has a central role to play in facing down those attempts to frighten and intimidate people who have come to Ireland seeking sanctuary from hunger, poverty, climate catastrophe and war. We say it clearly, ‘Refugees are Welcome’ and we say it with pride,” he said.

Amy, who works with the union’s Services and Enterprises division, has been volunteering with the East Wall for All group. She said Fórsa’s backing for the rally was a positive pushback against misinformation and intimidation tactics of the far right: “Our message is one of inclusion and hope, and about making sure that refugees know that the vast majority of people welcome them to Ireland,” she said.

Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers said: “Fórsa supports policies to end direct provision and make it easier for refugees to access employment. We support their right to be able to live with dignity, in peace, and free of the type of harassment and intimidation we’ve been seen in recent weeks,” he said.

Stewards

Fórsa is looking for volunteers to help steward the rally on Saturday. If you would like to volunteer please contact our campaigns director HERE to register your interest.

Bus transport:

Cork: Bus departs from City Hall Anglesea St, Cork at 9am

Galway: Details to be confirmed

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

A new report published by Mandate trade union on Wednesday (15th February) shows that retail workers are facing huge difficulties in terms of pay, conditions, and access to hours.

The report titled “Smoke and Mirrors: The facts about retail workers’ income in Ireland” is based on a survey of 3,000 Mandate members and found that the biggest challenge to improving incomes for workers is the number of hours worked in the sector.

Nearly two-thirds of retail workers are earning less than €451 per week with just under 20% paid more than €500 per week. Restrictions of the number of hours available to retail workers was a key factor limiting earnings in a sector which is among the poorest paid in the economy.

Forty-percent of respondents indicated they would like to work more hours, with 1 in 5 of those saying they were prevented in doing so by their manager. Other reasons for not working additional hours include study (3%), care duties (17%), and no extra hours available (30%).

Mandate member, Lorna Langan, indicated that if there are more hours available at work management will generally distribute them to new staff or those on a smaller wage.

Mandate is seeking amendments to the 2018 Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, which effectively banned zero-hours contracts, to allow employees easier access to additional hours where they are available.

General Secretary of Mandate, Gerry Light, highlighted the point by saying: “Employers must show meaningful cause on why workers won’t be able to get extra hours if they request them. Hours are being used as a form of discipline against staff and this can be seen as a form of coercion or control. These ‘battleground’ situations for hours are more prevalent in non-unionised workplaces and shows the positive force a trade union can have,” he said.

Mandate is also calling for the national minimum wage to be replaced by a "cost-of-living wage" and says that the sub-minimum rates that apply to young workers need to be abolished.

You can read the full report and its recommendations by clicking HERE. 

Fórsa members in local authorities are to ballot for industrial action in pursuit of an independent job evaluation scheme.

In a memo to branches yesterday (Thursday), national secretary Richy Carrothers said the decision to ballot was due to the “entrenched position of employers who are refusing to negotiate or conciliate” on the issue.

The decision was backed by a unanimous decision of the Local Government and Local Services Divisional Executive Committee earlier this week.

The decision came after a campaign effort this week which saw members in local authorities across the country deliver a Valentine’s Day message to local authority management, calling for an independent job evaluation scheme.

Calling on the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the state agency with oversight for local authorities nationwide to “Love Local Government,” union members gathered at in workplaces for a photo opportunity to highlight the need for an immediate job evaluation scheme, to establish the extent to which people are taking on additional duties.

Fórsa treasurer Julie Flood, who works at Dublin City Council, said union members wanted to take the opportunity to send the message because so many of them have been carrying additional duties for years, but without any recognition for the extra work: “All we’re asking for is a fair and independent assessment of the work we’re doing.

“Fórsa represents workers in the HSE and the higher education sector, where access to job evaluation has already been secured. The process is commonplace across much of Europe. We need the same kind of workload measurement applied in local authorities across the country,” she said.

Julie said the union represents more than 30,000 local authority staff across the country: “Close to 10,000 jobs were lost from the sector following the financial crisis in 2008, and services were only maintained because staff here took on additional responsibilities above their pay grades, and this happened in every local authority in the country.

“Local authorities experienced the greatest reduction of numbers of employees during the austerity era, leading to what we see as a significant ‘grade drift’ in the sector. It means, simply, that many people are working above the grade at which they’re employed. We need to measure the extent of that and make sure that staff are treated fairly,” she said.

Fórsa, which referred the issue to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), has said the only way to deal with the issue is to implement an independent job evaluation exercise.

Richy added: “The WRC process has stalled because the employer is currently refusing to negotiate or conciliate any further. But this matter isn’t going to go away because management simply ignore it.

“We sent a Valentine’s message to management this week, asking them to show some love for local authority staff. The best way for management to do that is to implement a fair and independent evaluation scheme.

“We want equity and fair treatment for our members in local authorities, consistent with the approach taken in other parts of the public sector, and that’s our Valentine’s message to management this week,” he said.

More details about the job evaluation claim HERE.

Fórsa members can now save 50% on their AA Roadside Rescue plan, through a new and exclusive union negotiated scheme.

This new AA Roadside Rescue offer provides for 24/7 roadside breakdown assistance in Ireland and the UK for just €6 a month, and will provide cover whether driving or as a passenger.

This new offer can be accessed exclusively through this portal.

Contact the AA here for more information.

As we mark 30 years since contraception was made legal in the country, Fórsa reflects on the young Irish activists that played a crucial role in changing the law around contraception, and the challenges that lie ahead.

Irishwomen United, a feminist group established in 1975, established the Contraception Action Programme (CAP) in 1976 to campaign specifically for the legalization of contraception. CAP members were predominantly young women and drew attention to the class and geographic disparities in relation to access to contraception.

They stressed the absence of women’s voices in debates over contraception and organised public events at community centres so that women could share their views. Initially, activists sold contraceptives such as condoms at the Dandelion Market in Dublin. However, the group soon came to realize the necessity of providing information and services to working-class women and therefore employed radical strategies such as distributing contraceptives in housing estates.

The efforts of CAP intensified following the publication of Charles Haughey’s Health (Family Planning) Bill in 1978. Activists raised concerns that the Bill would transfer power from family planning clinics to doctors and make contraception expensive. CAP members therefore plotted their most radical action yet: a shop called Contraceptives Unlimited which opened on Harcourt Road, Dublin, in November 1978 and where they openly sold condoms, spermicidal jellies, creams, and caps. Despite the illegality of their activities, no legal action was taken against CAP members.

The Family Planning Act came into operation in November 1980, and it soon became clear that many of the class and geographical disparities in relation to access to contraception remained. The Act allowed contraception on prescription for bona fide family planning purposes only, with this stipulation widely interpreted as meaning that contraceptives were only available to married couples. This law was not amended until 1985; from then it allowed the sale of contraceptives that did not require a prescription such as condoms and spermicides to persons over the age of 18 but only at outlets such as chemists or family planning clinics. Today, access to contraception in Ireland is far easier than it was just a few decades ago.

Condoms are easily accessible, and they are commonly sold everywhere, including being handed out for free on student campuses across the country. However, it is important to remember the activists who fought for this right and the struggles they faced along the way. Their efforts changed the law and helped to create a more open and progressive society in Ireland.

But the fight continues and Fórsa is looking towards the future and actively engaging on the next steps to improve equality in society.

At the union’s conference in May 2022, delegates unanimously backed a conference motion for statutory paid leave for victims of domestic violence and menstrual and menopausal welfare policies at work. The conference motions committed the union to actively campaign on the two issues and work is currently ongoing on both.

You can read more about ‘Contraception and Modern Ireland: A Social History, c.1922-92’ HERE.