Working time restoration process to begin soon
by Bernard Harbor
 
Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who leads the union team in the talks, highlighted the modest nature of the increases involved and said balance needed to be achieved to properly reflect progress on broader issues.
Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who leads the union team in the talks, highlighted the modest nature of the increases involved and said balance needed to be achieved to properly reflect progress on broader issues.

Fórsa and other unions have been in official discussions about the establishment of the independent body charged with addressing the additional working time introduced for many non-commercial semi-State workers in 2013.

 

Work on restoring the so-called ‘Haddington Road hours’ is required under Building Momentum, the new public service agreement, which also governs the pay and working conditions of State agency staff. The package was overwhelmingly backed by Fórsa members last month.

 

Under the deal, the independent body is to be set up by the end of this month. Last week, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) officials said they were talking to the public expenditure minister about its composition and the resourcing of a secretariat to support its work.

 

The body will take submissions from management and unions representing the grades concerned, and make recommendations by the end of 2021.

 

Roll-out of these recommendations will begin within the lifetime of the agreement, with €150 million available to commence implementation during 2022.

 

Fórsa fought hard for the inclusion of the process in Building Momentum. As a result, workers whose hours were increased under the Haddington Road deal can expect to see reductions in working time from next year.

 

Sectoral talks

Meanwhile, unions and management agreed to put back the end-of-March date for defining the different groups of grades and staff categories for the sectoral bargaining element of the agreement. Once these ‘sectoral bargaining units’ are agreed, work can begin on how an additional 1% of pay will be distributed through sectoral bargaining.

 

The agreed one-month delay in agreeing the units was deemed necessary because of the delayed ratification of the agreement. This arose because some unions found the initial timetable for ballots too challenging under Level Five Covid restrictions.

 

It is expected that some groups will want to use the funds to address – or start to address – longstanding grade issues, while others will simply apply the 1% increase to all staff in the category. Payment of this element of the deal falls due next February.

 

Reforms

The DPER engagement also included a discussion of the reform measures set out in the agreement, which acknowledges the recent “unprecedented display of commitment, flexibility, hard work and agility in public service provision.”

 

It says this momentum should be harnessed to meet challenges like the continuing response to Covid-19, a return to normal delivery of education and health services, remote working, digitisation, and managing the response to Brexit.

 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who leads the union team in the talks, highlighted the modest nature of the increases involved and said balance needed to be achieved to properly reflect progress on broader issues.

 

“Contentious issues within sectors, which might be relatively narrow in scope, should not be allowed paint a negative picture in circumstances where the main objectives in relation to the headline issues identified in the agreement are being met,” he said.

 

Read our summary of Building Momentum HERE

 

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

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