Fórsa has welcomed revised proposals on workforce planning in the local authority sector, that satisfactorily consider union concerns. 

Last month the union warned management that we would withdraw from the workforce planning process unless there was urgent and meaningful engagement with unions representing workers on the issue.

Head of Local Government and Local Services 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. 

“Our Divisional Executive Committee took a very clear position that in the absence of agreed parameters and national oversight, the Workforce Planning process would not have our support,” he said. 

The modified proposals, received last week, now adequately address this issue, and Richy advised that Fórsa is happy to proceed on this basis. 

“As the union-side Secretary, I have advised national management representatives that the amended guidelines are acceptable and that we are agreeable to proceeding on that basis,” he explained.

Richy underlined that we that the outcome of this process is likely to set the staffing resources for the next decade, so it is vitally important that this framework is right.

“This is an important development. Workers must remain at the centre of the process. Key information must be shared with us locally and in a timely fashion. The process will only work if it is carried out in an open, transparent, and collaborative basis,” he said.

 
The revised Workforce Planning guidelines can be viewed here. 

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