Union officials 'had a quiet giggle' about military chiefs' fears over ICTU affiliation with PDForra
A senior Irish Congress of Trade Unions official has said he and colleagues had a "giggle" over claims that allowing PDForra to affiliate with it was a threat to national security.
“I think myself and colleagues in Congress had a quiet giggle to ourselves when we were described as an organisation that threatens national security, if only that were the case,” ICTU industrial officer Liam Berney told PDForra's annual conference.
Mr Berney expressed his surprise that senior officers of the Defence Forces oppose the move.
"They claim they hold this position because they strongly believe that being affiliated to congress is incompatible with military service. In fact I think at one stage somebody said it actually potentially posed a threat to national security,” he said.
"And while I respect the rights of senior members of military management to hold this position I do think that denying PDForra the right to affiliate to Congress is not compatible with the fundamental rights that all citizens have, even if they are members of the Irish Defence Forces,” Mr Berney said.
When he completed his speech PDForra delegates gave him a standing ovation.
Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellett told the conference: “We will never withdraw our labour and we will always remain subject to military law.”
He said the Department of Defence has previously indicated that the right to affiliate or associate with ICTU poses complex questions for the Defence Forces from a legal, operational and management perspective.
"A key concern expressed by Minister Kehoe, is that such an affiliation would carry obligations that would be incompatible with military operations and the roles assigned to the Defence Forces,” he said.
“Óglaigh na hÉireann is a key component of the security architecture of the State. Clearly, the taking of any form of industrial action is incompatible with military service.
Any weakening of the institutional arrangements that guarantee the unconditional availability of the services of the Defence Forces for Government has potential implications for State security.
He urged PDForra members to vote to accept the 10% increase in allowances proposed by the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) pointing out that RACO, the officers' association, had voted by ballot last week to accept the package. PDForra sources say they will ballot their 6,500 members in the coming weeks.
The lack of core pay increases has angered rank-and-file members of the Defence Forces, who are among the lowest paid public servants.
The chief of staff pointed out, however, that the PSPC report had clearly stated that pay structures in the Defence Forces needed to be examined and he was pushing for better pay.
“ I will continue to make the case that the nature of our service is unique in the public sector,” Vice Admiral Mellett said.
He said that the General Staff has requested the Department of Defence to consider extending the retirement date for sergeants who enlisted after 1994, so as to enable them to qualify for the 31-year pension entitlements.
