Fórsa is seeking completion of the amalgamation of grades, as outlined in the civil service management’s modernisation plan.

In 2017, the staff officer (SO) grade was amalgamated with the executive officer (EO) grade. However, there were some grades that are attached on a pay basis to the staff officer grade that were not part of the amalgamation.

The legal clerk grade is one such example of this.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Seán Carabini stated: “Grade restructuring was part of the civil service management’s modernisation plan. The amalgamation of the SO and EO grades was the mechanism that was used to deliver on this goal. But this job hasn’t been completed.”

In 2019, Fórsa brought the matter to the attention of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with a view to correcting it. At present approximately 120 civil servants remain tied to the old staff officer pay scale.

“In many cases, the grades still tied to the SO pay scale are specialist grades, meaning that your promotion opportunities are quite often limited.

“Additionally, it is having a real impact on mobility. Staff officer is not catered for in the mobility scheme. How, then, can you look for a transfer if there are no SOs to swap with? The only sensible thing is to complete the amalgamation of grades for the last few staff tethered to the SO,” said Seán.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform did not agree to the proposal to amalgamate those still tethered to the SO grade with the EO grade.

Now, this disagreement has been formalised, meaning that the union can consider whether to bring this claim forward or not.

“Our intention is to lodge a case with the civil service arbitration board for a decision on the matter. It is a curious outlier that the union is having to bring a claim to ask DPER to finish out the modernisation and grade rationalisation programme that they began. However, as things stand, those still tied to the SO grade are losing out,” said Seán.