Fórsa’s civil service division is tackling the issue of outsourcing head on, and has cited three employments for breaching protections against privatisation set out in successive national agreements.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) currently engages two external companies under the Jobpath scheme, to provide assistance on work activation.

Fórsa official Derek Mullen explained that while there were extensions to the Jobpath contracts built in, which have been utilised, the department has now advised that the contracts have been further extended outside of the union agreed terms.

“The department argues that their decision is informed by the current pandemic driven unemployment crisis, however they proceeded with this extension without appropriate consultation,” he said.

Fórsa is also opposing efforts by the department to provide continuing external support for telephony services, having used emergency arrangements twice during the pandemic. 

Outsourced security services in DSP and cleaning services in the Department of Foreign Affairs and others are also under discussion.

Similarly, the Revenue Commissioners is under fire after they sought a new request for tender for telephony services for local property tax (LPT) without the appropriate consultation, citing urgency regarding the LPT revaluation, due to take place in 2021. Abtran are currently contracted to provide telephony services for the LPT service.

In addition, Fórsa has cited the Attorney General’s Office following a decision to advertise a request for tender for the provision of external services for drafting primary and secondary legislation, again without appropriate consultation.

Derek said that the union is opposed to outsourcing and was particularly alarmed by the attitude of the departments.

“We are particularly concerned over the cavalier attitude displayed in these cases. The arrangements set down in national agreements are to be complied with by all parties, and employers are not entitled to set these aside,” he said.

Fórsa will be raising these matters at General Council.

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