Also in this issue
Compulsory public service retirement age raised
by Eoin Ronayne

The Government is to legislate to allow civil servants who are currently obliged to retire at age 65 to opt to stay in work longer. 

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Divisional conference set for April
by Sean Carabini

Fórsa is continuing the long-established tradition of putting members and branches at the centre of policy formation and decision-making. The tried and trusted mechanism for doing this is the union delegate conference.

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Public service scapegoating raised
by Sean Carabini

Fórsa has met senior civil servants to discuss the scapegoating of civil servants in recent controversies.

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In Brief: Revenue
by Derek Mullen

Revenue promotion talks continue.

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In Brief: DEASP
by Des Fagan

Fórsa reps were recently told that the DEASP communications unit was to be relocated to the office at 77 Gardiner Street in Dublin.

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Coalition seeks pension cut reversal
by Bernard Harbor

Fórsa joined a broad coalition of unions to demand the reversal of 2012 pension cuts.

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Sex harassment law change sought
by Sean Carabini

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is seeking legal changes to make it easier for victims to report sexually abusive behaviour in the workplace.

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Civil servants get new year pay boost
by   Bernard Harbor 
 

Civil servants are due a 1% pay increase with effect from 1st January 2018, under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA). The agreement will deliver income restoration worth over 7% of salary to more than 70% of civil and public servants between now and 2020. 
 

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Fórsa clears final hurdle
by Bernard Harbor
 

The final piece of the Fórsa jigsaw was put in place on 2nd January, when the Registrar for Friendly Societies confirmed that the new union was registered and cleared to start work on behalf of more than 80,000 members. 
 

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Leave improvements kick in
by Derek Mullen
 

Civil service clerical and executive officers with 12 years’ service will receive an extra day’s annual leave from 1st January 2018. Fórsa is currently in discussions with management about applying the leave changes to civil service grades analogous with clerical and executive officers. 

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Working time window opens
by Derek Mullen
 

Civil servants who want to revert to ‘pre-Haddington Road’ working hours – with a pro-rata salary reduction – can apply to do so between now and April 2018. The opportunity, which was negotiated by Fórsa as part of the Public Services Stability Agreement (PSSA), will then close before briefly reopening between January and April 2021.

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Precarious work is now common
by Bernard Harbor 
 

Precarious working arrangements have now spread across the economy and feature increasingly in public administration, health and education, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). The alarming growth in precarious work since 2008 has prompted ICTU to urge the Government to legislate to address the problem.

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