Dear members,

On Friday 21st February we lodged a local bargaining claim on your behalf. As you know, this is a new process of national bargaining for collective issues specific to a grade, group or category. 

By taking part in the survey we issued, you told us what matters most to you. The survey results informed the nature of the claim.

Across the board the claim seeks to reduce the length of time it takes to move up each scale, to reduce the waiting period for Long Service Increments (LSI), and to add an increase to the maximum point of each scale.

The claim is in respect of Executive Officers, Higher Executive Officers, Grade 4 -7s in the civil service and related grades in the public service (health, education and local government sectors).

The claim is as follows:

• Removal of points 6 and 10 of the Executive Officer scale. Removal of the 3 years waiting criteria for Long Service Increments on the Executive Officer scale. An increase of 3.5% to the absolute maximum point of the Executive Officer scale.

• Removal of points 3 and 6 of the Higher Executive Officer scale. Removal of the 3 years waiting criteria for Long Service Increments on the Higher Executive Officer scale. An increase of 3.5% to the absolute maximum point of the Higher Executive Officer scale.

• Removal of points 6 and 8 of the Grade 4 scale. Removal of the 3 years waiting criteria for Long Service Increments on the Grade 4 scale. An increase of 3.5% to the absolute maximum point of the Grade 4 scale.

• Removal of points 2 and 5 of the Grade 5 scale. Removal of the 3 years waiting criteria for Long Service Increments on the Grade 5 scale. An increase of 3.5% to the absolute maximum point of the Grade 5 scale.

• Removal of points  3 and 5 of the Grade 6 scale. Removal of the 3 years waiting criteria for Long Service Increments on the Grade 6 scale. An increase of 3.5% to the absolute maximum point of the Grade 6 scale.

• Removal of points 3 and 6 of the Grade 7 scale (on completion of 1 year at point 2, the next point of progression is point 4). Removal of the 3 years waiting criteria for Long Service Increments on the Grade 7 scale. An increase of 3.5% on the absolute maximum point of the Grade 7 scale.

You can read the claim here.

Three local bargaining claims have now been submitted on behalf of Fórsa members. By lodging these claims, we are signalling our intention to make full use of Clause 4.2.1 of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026. While local bargaining is provided for in the agreement, there will be no automatic pay increases if we don’t engage in negotiations.

Last week Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan met with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDPDR) in his capacity as Chair of the ICTU Public Services Committee to finalise the local bargaining units. Department officials acknowledged that Fórsa has now submitted three local bargaining claims. Your support in the pursuit of these claims will be of pivotal importance. We will keep you updated as negotiations unfold.

We now await a response, and we will continue to keep you fully informed.

As ever, by acting together, we can win together. 

Yours sincerely,

Éamonn Donnelly,
Deputy General Secretary