IMPACT Civil Service Division
Report 2007-2009
www.qualitypublicservices.ie
Front cover photo Almost a third of IMPACT’s entire membership attended the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ massive demonstration against the Government’s handling of the recession in February 2009. Photo courtesy of the Sunday Tribune.
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Report 2007-2009
www.qualitypublicservices.ie
Contents Divisional Executive Committee ..........................................4
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government - CLMÉ Branch ..............................15
IMPACT staff ..............................................................................4
SGS ............................................................................................16
Civil Service Staff Panel ..........................................................4
Property Registration Authority ........................................16
Branch organisation ..............................................................4
OCFA branch ..........................................................................16
Organisation ..........................................................4
Oireachtas Ushers branch ..................................................16
Pay and incomes ....................................................5
Adoption Board......................................................................16
Towards 2016 transitional agreement................................5
Forensic Science ....................................................................16
Crisis talks ..................................................................................5
FGE branch..............................................................................17
Social solidarity ........................................................................6
The Probation Service ..........................................................17
Public service levy ....................................................................6
Special Education Needs Officers branch ........................17
Benchmarking ..........................................................................7 Incremental credit....................................................................7 Starting pay on promotion....................................................7
Civil Service No.1 branch ....................................18
Starting pay for new recruits ................................................8
Civilian drivers ........................................................................18
Low pay ......................................................................................8 Senior public service pay........................................................8 Pensions ....................................................................................8 Pension claims ..........................................................................9
Community service supervisors ........................................18 Department of Finance language trainers......................18 Valuation Office ....................................................................18
Travel and subsistence..........................................................10
Health and safety ................................................19 Decentralisation ..................................................11
Mobile masts ..........................................................................19
IMPACT grades and decentralisation................................11
Equal opportunities ............................................19 Jobs and services..................................................12 OECD report on Irish public services ................................12 Public service staffing ..........................................................12 Workers’ rights........................................................................13 Cross-stream promotions....................................................13
Work-life balance ..................................................................19 Career breaks..........................................................................19 Parental leave ........................................................................20 Breastfeeding breaks ............................................................20
Annual leave ..........................................................................13
Term-time scheme ................................................................20
PMDS ........................................................................................13
Crèches ....................................................................................20
Grievance procedures ..........................................................14
Disabilities ..............................................................................20
Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme ..............................14 Fixed term contracts ............................................................14
Appendices ............................................................21 Sectoral and vocational developments..........15 Department of Agriculture and Food ..............................15 Agriculture No.1 branch dispute ........................................15 Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources ....................................15
Salary scales............................................................................22 Travel and subsistence..........................................................25 Claims lodged at General Council, 2008 ..........................26 Agreed reports, 2008 ............................................................28 Adjudication hearings, 2008 ..............................................30
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Organisation Divisional Executive Committtee
Civil Service Staff Panel
The following were elected to IMPACT’s Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee (DEC) at the 2007 divisional conference: Una Geaney (An Cathaoirleach), John O’Flanagan (Leas Cathaoirleach), Bobby Carty (third divisional representative on IMPACT’s Central Executive Committee), Benny Conaty, Eugene Dunne, Billy Gallagher, Aine Morris, Pol O’Gaibhin, Kevin O’Connor, David McManus, and Ernan Tobin.
John O’ Flanagan was elected vice chairperson of the staff panel for 2008-2009. IMPACT is represented on the civil service staff panel and general council. It is also represented on the relevant departmental staff panels and departmental councils.
At its first meeting in June 2007, the DEC agreed to coopt Geraldine O’Brien onto the DEC until 1st July the same year. Alan Duffy and Judy Price were co-opted onto the DEC following the resignations of Geraldine O’Brien and David McManus when members of the Tax Officials branch were integrated into the general service unions. Aine Morris had to resign for workrelated reasons and Billy Gallagher was elected IMPACT honorary treasurer in 2008. They were replaced by Philip Slattery and Denis McQuaid.
IMPACT staff Louise O’Donnell continues as the national secretary supporting the division. Tom Hoare, Geraldine O’Brien, Ray Ryan, Shay Clinton, Brendan McKay and Stephen Lyons are the assistant general secretaries currently providing service to the civil service branches. Jim Fay continues to service the FGE branch. Pat Bolger, Angela Kirk and Brian Gorman have moved to new assignments. We wish all new activists and staff well and we take this opportunity to thank all of those who have left the service of the division.
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Branch organisation The members of the Tax Officials branch transferred to the general service unions from 1st July 2007. Since the divisional conference in 2007, a number of smaller branches have joined the Civil Service No.1 branch. The division has also successfully recruited members in areas where civil service work has been outsourced.
Report 2007-2009
Pay and incomes All grades in the division received pay increases worth 10% in four phases between December 2006 and September 2008 under the first phase of the Towards 2016 national agreement, which was accepted by a 7921% margin in a national ballot of IMPACT members. When the Government announced measures to control public spending in summer 2008, many business organisations, politicians and economic commentators called for the final 2.5% increase to be scrapped. But IMPACT strongly resisted this and the payment was made as agreed.
Towards 2016 transitional agreement Talks on the second phase of Towards 2016 began in April 2008 with unions seeking a deal that protected living standards from inflation, as well as a number of non-pay measures centred on workplace and representational rights. IMPACT also led public service unions in seeking a new system of public service pay determination, after the second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body recommended no increases for most (see below). Employers’ body IBEC’s early call for a public service pay freeze was strongly rebutted by IMPACT in the talks and in the media. In August 2008, the talks broke down over the pay terms and employer demands for stronger ‘inability to pay’ clauses. Negotiations resumed in September and resulted in a transitional agreement with pay increases worth 6% over 21 months, with an extra 0.5% for those earning less than €11 an hour. The deal, which included an 11-month public service pay pause and a threemonth pay pause in private and commercial semi-state companies, was accepted by a margin of 91%-9% in a national ballot of IMPACT members. The Department of Finance told public service employers that they must pay the first phase, worth 3.5% from 1st September 2009, out of existing budgets.
Crisis talks The sudden and rapid worsening of the economy and public finances at the end of 2008 led to a resumption of meetings between the social partners in December. The objective was to agree an approach to economic recovery. Although the budgetary crisis was not caused by public servants or public service pay, ICTU economists acknowledged that up to 20% of Ireland’s tax had become dependent on the finance, property and construction sectors, which had collapsed leaving a massive hole in Government income. The problem quickly worsened as growing unemployment rapidly reduced the tax take even further and increased spending on social welfare and related medical and other costs. At the beginning of 2009, therefore, there was broad agreement on the need to save as much as €16 billion in public spending between 2009 and 2013 in order to restore the public finances. But there was no agreement on how this should be done. The situation in both the public finances and the wider economy had substantially worsened as this report went to print. Entering the talks, employers’ body IBEC said it believed the pay deal was defunct while the Government was focused exclusively on the need to save €2 billion in public spending in 2009; a saving it wanted to make predominantly from payroll costs. From the outset, IMPACT resisted the Government’s preferred option of a 10% across-the-board cut in public service pay and made clear that it would not negotiate cuts in core pay or pension benefits.
During the negotiations, unions prevented IBEC’s attempts to massively strengthen the Towards 2016 ‘inability to pay' provisions.
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IMPACT Civil Service Division
Social solidarity
Public service levy
United behind an Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) strategy, IMPACT insisted that a ‘social solidarity’ framework for economic recovery must be agreed before unions would discuss specific measures to deal with the crisis in public finances. As a result, the social partners agreed a ‘Framework Pact for Stabilisation, Social Solidarity and Reform’ at the end of January 2009. The main points of the framework, which included all the core elements of ICTU’s demands, are summarised in the box below.
IMPACT’s adamant insistence that core pay and pension benefits be preserved led the Government to consider other measures, including additional staff contributions towards the cost of pensions, deferral of Towards 2016 pay increases, and changes in other areas like travel and subsistence, premium payments, and overtime arrangements. Meanwhile, there was almost no progress on tangible measures to implement the framework agreed between the social partners, which was to have delivered protection for the most vulnerable and a higher contribution to economic recovery from those most able to pay.
Framework Pact for Stabilisation, Social Solidarity and Reform MAIN POINTS G A commitment to a social partnership approach G A commitment that all sectors of society must contribute in accordance with their ability to do so, including sheltered sectors of the economy like professional services G A commitment that the most vulnerable – including the low paid, unemployed and those on social welfare – would be insulated from the worst effects of the recession G A commitment to introduce controls on senior executives’ remuneration G Stabilisation of the banking system and a Government commitment to seek to assist people who get into difficulties with their mortgages – plus a new statutory code of practice on mortgage arrears and home repossessions G Measures to support the unemployed and help them back into work G A commitment to a fair and equitable spread of necessary adjustments in public spending G A fair and equitable approach to tax changes, with a higher proportion falling on those with higher incomes, which would be progressive and consistent with the social solidarity approach G A reform of price regulation in areas like energy G A re-prioritisation of capital spending towards labour-intensive activities G A commitment that the social partners would address the crisis in private pensions G Recognition of the need to progressively reduce the level of Exchequer borrowing over the next five years in order to reduce the general Government deficit “to below 3% by 2013 through an appropriate combination of expenditure and taxation adjustments”* G A re-affirmation of Towards 2016 commitments to legislation to strengthen workers’ rights and protections G A reaffirmation of the Towards 2016 commitment to use the social partnership Health Forum to implement health reforms. * As the economy and public finances worsened after this framework was agreed, ICTU sought a re-scheduling of this timetable to avoid rapid depression of economic activity and a devastating effect on public services.
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Report 2007-2009
The talks finally collapsed without agreement after Government officials presented unions with a proposal for a public service levy averaging 7.5% of gross earnings, minus tax relief, across the public service. The Government proposal also included the deferral of the public service Towards 2016 pay increases and a 25% across-the-board reduction in travel and subsistence rates. IMPACT then led a massive campaign of political lobbying, which was supported by other public service unions and involved hundreds of IMPACT members and others. This culminated in national newspaper adverts and a mass lobby of TDs’ constituencies in the middle of February. The union also put a massive mobilisation effort into ICTU’s national demonstration on 21st February, when over a third of the union’s members participated in an event that attracted well over 120,000 protesters. Four days later, almost all ICTU unions including IMPACT announced that they would ballot their members for industrial action over the Government’s approach to the economic crisis, including the levy, and the Government and employers’ decision to abandon the national agreement. Unions from both the public and private sectors agreed that the industrial action would begin with a one-day stoppage on 30th March. However, the Government rushed through legislation to impose the public service levy, which became effective on 1st March 2009. As this report was being finalised, ICTU’s 30th March stoppage was deferred after its Executive Council accepted an invitation from An Taoiseach Brian Cowen to re-enter talks aimed at reaching an agreed national partnership framework for dealing with the economic crisis. The Taoiseach’s invitation followed extensive behind-the-scenes work by senior ICTU representatives, including IMPACT general secretary Peter McLoone who insisted that changes to the pension levy must form part of the negotiation. IMPACT also said it wanted an agreed framework to deal with budget shortfalls in various sectors of the public service and state agencies. Just prior to this, IMPACT’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) decided that it had no basis to sanction participation in the 30th March stoppage after its members voted in favour of industrial action by a margin of 65% in favour and 35% against, which was marginally short of the two-thirds majority required under the union’s Rule 25, which deals with industrial action ballots.
Benchmarking The second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body (PSBB) was published in December 2007 and recommended pay increases for just 15 of the 109 grades it examined. A detailed report on this was included in IMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report. The Towards 2016 transitional agreement conceded IMPACT's demand for a review of the benchmarking process to address union concerns about the operation and methodology of the first and second benchmarking exercises. IMPACT also sought payment of the recommended awards, which led to the Towards 2016 transitional agreement saying that the first 5% of the awards would be paid with effect from 1st September 2008 and that the implementation of the remainder would be considered after 2010. However, the payment has not been sanctioned and the Department of Finance has said that it has no plans to sanction payment in the current economic and fiscal circumstances.
Incremental credit In January 2008, IMPACT reached an agreement with the Department of Finance on incremental credit for IMPACT grades linked to clerical officer and executive officer grades, which included the recognition of relevant service in the public sector prior to joining the civil service. The union succeeded in reaching a similar agreement for IMPACT grades linked to service officer grades in July 2008. Both agreements were backdated to October 2002.
Starting pay on promotion IMPACT has been pursuing a claim on starting pay since 2002. The union says that existing civil servants should be treated no less favourably than non-civil servants when they are promoted on foot of an open competition. Despite numerous discussions with the union, management is not prepared to change the existing arrangements. Disagreement was recorded in June 2008.
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IMPACT Civil Service Division
Starting pay for new recruits The union has successfully reached an agreement on starting pay. Where it is possible to start above the minimum salary, for professional and technical grades, this information will be included in the advertisement for the job in addition to the relevant application criteria. All personnel officers have been advised of this requirement in writing.
Low pay Unions are resisting attempts by employers’ representatives to reduce the statutory minimum wage, which was last increased to €8.65 in July 2007. The Towards 2016 transitional agreement, which has not been implemented, included an extra 0.5% increase for workers earning €11 an hour or less.
Senior public service pay Details of the 42nd report of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration were included in IMPACT’s 20062008 biennial report. The first phase of the recommended awards was paid in September 2007. The second and third phases, due in September 2008 and March 2009, have not yet been sanctioned.
Pensions IMPACT’S 2006-2008 biennial report outlined the developing problem of funded defined benefit schemes in the private sector and commercial state companies. The Pensions Board has estimated that 90 per cent of these schemes are in significant deficit. ICTU has prioritised this issue in talks with the Government and has demanded a pension’s protection fund to deal with insolvencies and new standards and criteria for schemes with ongoing deficits. These negative developments have created a difficult overall climate for addressing IMPACT’s superannuation issues.
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IMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report also outlined the outcome of the joint union-management working group that dealt with issues arising from the Commission on Public Service Pensions. A revised method of reckoning variable pensionable allowances for pension purposes was subsequently implemented. Other agreed recommendations concerning the spouses and children’s scheme have been held up by the Department of Finance and it is unclear when they will be implemented. The Department has rejected the union’s demand for refunds of contributions where over 40 years’ have been paid, saying they will not agree to any change in the existing practice because: G Most public servants make explicit pension contributions towards their main scheme benefits. Pensionable salary for these public servants is generally 5% higher than for their counterparts who do not make contributions. G The value of superannuation benefits continues to increase beyond the 40-year threshold because increments, promotions and pay increases that occur after 40 years service are reflected in the pension and superannuation lump sum ultimately payable on retirement. G Unlike public service spouses’ and children’s pension schemes, where the costs are generally shared between the employers and employees, the employee contribution in the main scheme represents just a small element in the overall cost of providing benefits. The second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body valued the employers’ costs of public service pensions at 20% of salary, with contributory employees paying around 5% on average. G The claim for refund of contributions has to be placed in the context of the overall imperative of securing long-run sustainability and affordability in pension provision in Ireland, as set out in the recent green paper on pensions.
Report 2007-2009
Pension claims In November 2008 IMPACT lodged two claims at general council in relation to superannuation and pensions. The first was: That the pension scheme be amended to remove the anomalies that result in staff that transfer within the public service to incur additional costs. In particular: a. Staff who opt out of a public service spouses and children scheme should not be obliged to join a similar scheme as a condition of transfer of employment b. Where staff have been obliged to join such a scheme as a condition of transfer, they should have their right to opt out restored c. Where they were obliged to join the scheme as a condition of transfer, they should not be obliged to pay into the scheme for the period when they were outside of the scheme. Management responded by saying that membership was optional for employees serving when the schemes were introduced. Each employee retains the option of membership so long as they remain in the same employment. Employees also retain this option also if they are transferred, under statute, to another body in the public service. Membership is compulsory for all other staff, whether they are new recruits, employees with previous service in another area of the public service, or employees with previous service in the area they are now employed. Underpinning this policy is the fact that each body or organisation has its own individual scheme which would have been introduced at a different date. While service can be transferred from one area to another, terms and conditions cannot. There is a longstanding policy that gives the employee the option of aggregating service. Benefits are then subject to the terms and conditions of the later period of employment. But, by choosing to preserve benefit from the earlier employment, it has the effect of employees qualifying for two pensions.
voluntary one. There would also be renewed claims for a further option to be given to serving staff that may have opted out of the schemes when they were introduced. The scheme is compulsory and this is seen as a core element. The second IMPACT claim was: That a scheme of retirement with immediate payment of full superannuation benefits be introduced for those staff who are under 60 years of age who have 40 years service or more. In their response, management said that the current position of civil servants who wish to resign before the minimum pension age is that they may preserve their superannuation benefits until the minimum pension age. Alternatively, they can opt for immediate superannuation benefits on a cost-neutral basis. The Government introduced this cost-neutral arrangement following their consideration of the report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions. The Commission recommended the arrangement to allow public servants within ten years of minimum pension age to retire with immediate payment of reduced benefits, to allow for the longer period over which the benefits would be paid. However, the Commission did not support early retirement along the lines of this claim, highlighting the fact that early retirement, other than on an actuarially reduced basis, gives rise to substantial pension costs. The Government wants to minimise the growth of future pension costs, and there are significant challenges to pension sustainability in the future, which were starkly set out in the Green Paper on public service pensions. Consequently, there is no scope for agreeing the union’s claim for the scheme of retirement described in this claim.
The Commission on Public Service Pensions considered the question of compulsory membership for single people, and the non-refundable nature of the contributions paid by them, and decided not to recommend any change in the existing scheme rules. It would be costly, administratively difficult and likely to lead to pressure for other staff to be given an opt-out, and have the effect of rendering the scheme a
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IMPACT Civil Service Division
Travel and subsistence While there have been no recent discussions on subsistence rates, a meeting between civil service unions and the Department of Finance took place in September 2008 where the Department outlined the results of an exercise it had undertaken in relation to the prevailing motor mileage formula. If adopted, this approach would have reduced the rates by 4.2% in the small car category, 4.63% in the medium car category and 1.39% in the large car category. The exercise was based on bestselling cars following vehicle registration tax changes, and only factored in the effect of the car price changes. The Department said Government policy of encouraging the use of greener cars should be reflected in the construction of the motor travel rates. IMPACT countered that the formula was meant to have regard to vehicles actually purchased and that 2009 budgetary changes might also affect car prices. A further meeting was held in January 2009 where it emerged that the cost of small and large category cars in the bestselling list had dropped by up to â‚Ź3,000, while the cost of middle range cars had increased slightly. Taken with falling fuel prices, the Department signaled that these price falls would lead to a significant drop in the mileage rate. Independently of this process, in March 2009 the Government imposed revised rates that cut payments by 25% across the board as part of its measures to reduce public spending. IMPACT has since lodged a claim for a review of travel and subsistence rates under the standard criteria.
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Report 2007-2009
Decentralisation The Department of Finance issued a discussion paper on loss of earnings in 2007. IMPACT is awaiting a further response on a number of specific issues it raised with management. In November 2008, the Government announced that it had reviewed the decentralisation programme and decided that 6,000 posts would move to locations already operational or committed to coming on stream. However, a further 5,000 posts will now be deferred until a further review in 2011. IMPACT’s decentralisation sub-committee met to discuss the implications of this announcement for the decentralisation programme, and the following claim was lodged at a meeting of the general council: That a compensation package be put in place for those civil servants transferring to decentralised locations under current decentralisation programme who now find themselves in a “negative equity” position with their family homes.
IMPACT grades and decentralisation FGE IMPACT’s FGE branch is holding separate negotiations in relation to the impact of decentralisation on its members. The following items have been identified by the branch as the key issues: G The placement of staff from decentralising departments G The protection of earnings, including allowances and overtime G The recruitment of staff for departments and areas due to decentralise G Opposition to the outsourcing of work appropriate to IMPACT grades G The principles of promotion arrangements under decentralisation
During 2008 management issued the following papers concerning the decentralisation programme;
G The retention of FGE grades in all government offices
G HR agreement
G Maintaining civil service status
G Transfer protocol
G The need for the department to provide up to date statistical information detailing the numbers of posts remaining in Dublin and those due to decentralise.
G Acting up paper G Promotion paper G Tax officers/higher tax officers G Revised Dublin arrangements
Professional and technical
G ICT agreement and tables for the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Department of Enterprise, State and Employment
A small number of IMPACT members have moved to new locations with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Prison Service. The next phase of decentralisation requires the movement of staff in the Office of Public Works to Trim, Co. Meath. However, there is still a large shortfall in applications from professional and technical staff in relation to this move. While talks have commenced with management, very little progress has been made. A significant number of proposed relocations affecting IMPACT grades have been pushed back to 2011.
G ICT paper, Department of Agriculture and Food.
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IMPACT Civil Service Division
Jobs and services OECD report on Irish public services
Public service staffing
In April 2008 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a report on Ireland’s public services, which found that they were delivering high quality services at a relatively low price. The study debunked the myth that public service pay and employment are out of control and reported that the Irish public service is doing “more with less” than other OECD countries, relative to the size of the overall economy and workforce, because public spending and employment had not kept up with population and economic growth in the last decade. It found that, compared to other OECD countries, Ireland had a relatively small public service given the size of its economy and labour force.
In March 2009, the Department of Finance issued draconian employment controls in the public services, which included the following measures:
It also said that too many arms length agencies had been set up, which led to fragmentation and reduced transparency, and warned against the centralisation of human resource management. It recommended a “careful approach” to performance-related pay and called for more mobility in recruitment between the civil and public service. In November 2008, the Government published the report of a task force set up to make recommendations on the implementation the OECD report and established a group to make proposals on the reallocation and rationalisation of public service staff. This fourperson ‘special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes’ is to “examine the current expenditure programmes in each Department and make recommendations for reducing public service numbers” with the aim of eliminating the budget deficit by 2011. It is chaired by economist Colm McCarthy and is due to make a final report to the Minister for Finance by the end of June 2009. Its terms of reference do not include pay or pension issues.
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G A general moratorium on recruitment, promotions and acting appointments to almost all grades G The application of this general moratorium to fixed-term posts and to the renewal of fixed-term contracts G The requirement of prior sanction from the finance minister, on an “exceptional basis,” for filling of any post covered by the moratorium G Any such filling to be achieved through redeployment. The Department of Finance circular that implements the new policy says there will be separate correspondence on arrangements for consultation with unions on the issue of redeployment. IMPACT immediately sought clarification of how it was proposed to interpret and implement the circular and expressed strong concerns about the negative impact it would have on services and staff. The union reiterated its long-standing rejection of the blunt instrument of recruitment embargoes and the blanket non-renewal of temporary contracts, which could devastate services and substantially increase unemployment. The union had already sought an agreed framework for dealing with public service recruitment and staffing issues in the national talks that resumed in March 2009 and was continuing to pursue this as this report went to print.
Report 2007-2009
Workers’ rights
Cross-stream promotions
IMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report outlined the comprehensive new package of workplace protections agreed in the Towards 2016 national agreement. These were further strengthened in the Towards 2016 transitional agreement and, although the agreement has not been implemented, ICTU is still pressing for legislation in a number of areas including the prevention of victimisation of trade union members and inducements aimed at forcing people to leave their union. The transitional agreement also conceded ICTU’s demand for a review to consider the legal and other steps required to enable collective bargaining mechanisms established under previous agreements to operate as intended.
Despite government policy and provisions in the Towards 2016 national agreement, no progress has been made on the issue of cross-stream promotion. IMPACT took part in a meeting between all the unions and the Department of Finance on the issue in April 2007. The union outlined its position at a further meeting with the department April 2008. The Department of Finance has not yet made any response on the issue. The other unions involved have indicated that processing this issue is not a priority.
In the summer of 2008, an EU agreement led to the adoption of a European directive on agency workers which, once transposed into domestic legislation, will see agency workers entitled to the same pay and conditions as permanent staff. Unions across Europe have fought for these protections for years and ICTU is pressing for the directive to be implemented quickly in Ireland, even though EU rules give the Government until December 2011 to transpose it into Irish law.
Annual leave
Trade unions also won an important victory in December 2008 when the European Parliament rejected proposed amendments to working time laws. Prior to the vote IMPACT wrote to all Irish MEPs urging them to reject the proposed changes, which would have led to weaker protections for workers in Ireland and elsewhere. The changes would have preserved an existing opt-out, which was known to have led to workers doing excessive hours in Britain and elsewhere. It would also have brought adverse changes to the way on-call working time is determined as well as extending the period over which employers could average working time.
The union was successful in reaching an agreement with the Department of Finance covering an anomaly in senior advisors’ annual leave entitlements. The department wrote to the relevant departments advising that the correct annual leave entitlement is 31 days.
PMDS The union sub-committee met in November 2008 to discuss seeking a review of PMDS. The following issues were raised; G G G G
The role of the reviewer The protocol on how targets are applied An external review process Linking time, attendance and sick leave.
A review is due in 2009, under the terms of existing agreements. The sub-committee felt that, in the current economic climate, it was not appropriate to bring the review forward.
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IMPACT Civil Service Division
Grievance procedures
Fixed term contracts
Management provided a draft report on grievance procedures, which the union considered but did not approve. IMPACT agreed to meet again with management for further discussion. The meeting took place following a change in management personnel, and they agreed to provide a further document early in 2009. The new document will need to reflect the move from the conciliation and arbitration scheme to the Labour Relations Commission and Labour Court.
The union achieved a landmark victory after the ‘IMPACT 91’ fixed term workers cases were heard in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in December 2007. The ECJ issued its findings in April 2008 and upheld IMPACT’s position and the cases were then referred back to the Labour Court.
Conciliation and arbitration scheme A proposal by IMPACT and the CPSU to move grievance procedures from the conciliation and arbitration scheme to the Labour Relations Commission and Labour Court was agreed by a vote of the staff panel in May 2008. The panel agreed to set up a sub-committee in order to continue discussions with management. The subcommittee members are Louise O’Donnell (IMPACT), Blair Horan (CPSU), Tom Geraghty (PSEU) John Clinton (POA) and Dave Thomas (AHCPS). Management has nominated David Hurley, Marie McLoughlin, Oonagh Buckley and Brian Fee to the sub-committee, which will be chaired by David Hurley. The unions met with the Department of Finance in July 2008, when management indicated that they were not opposed to the claim in principle. However, management said that the unions would have to get consensus on procedures in order to facilitate the move, and that it would require primary legislation. The unions agreed on a draft document following a series of meetings in July, September and October. The draft has been submitted to management and their response is pending.
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The Department of Finance subsequently agreed to drop its appeal against the Rights Commissioners decision and to implement the findings in full. All compensation due has now been paid and arrears of annual leave and allowances due to members in the Department of Foreign Affairs have been sanctioned. The next phase is to sort out pension entitlements for the 91 claimants and the Department is currently working on this. The final step is to get the members established. However, there is no entitlement to this under the Fixed Term Workers Act. In December 2008, the Department issued Guidelines on best practice for the recruitment and management of fixed term employees in the Irish civil service. The report covers G Protection of employees (Fixed Term Work Act 2003) G Recruitment process G Contract of employment – statutory requirements G Terms and conditions G Renewal of fixed term contracts G Termination of service G Redress G Unfair Dismissals Act (1977-2007).
Report 2007-2009
Sectoral and vocational developments Department of Agriculture and Food The Management Services Unit in the Department of Agriculture and Food undertook a number of reviews in 2008. Three reports on technical staffing were issued that identified a range of work changes and reductions in staff totaling 190 posts. A further report on the meat area is pending. IMPACT has engaged directly with the Labour Relations Commission facilitation process on the major challenges to be addressed. In addition, the Management Services Unit is due to issue a report on the work of the Professional Agricultural Officers’ branch in the inspectorate area of the department.
Agriculture No.1 branch dispute The branch conducted a ballot for industrial action in September 2008 in response to breaches of agreement with IMPACT, particularly as a result of non-consultation on a range of measures implemented without union agreement. The ballot result was in favour of industrial action and this commenced in October. On October 31st IMPACT met the National Implementation Body (NIB) which resulted in a referral to the Labour Relations Commission. The NIB reached the following conclusion: “Having heard from both parties, the NIB acknowledges the number of complex and interrelated issues contributing to the current dispute. Accordingly, the NIB believes the parties could benefit from the assistance of a third party facilitator. Such a facilitation process would serve, in the first instance, to clarify and define the precise issue in question. Specifically, it would assess whether each of the individual issues in contention are of an operational or structural nature; and would consider and make proposals to the NIB as to how the various issues identified might best be progressed – in particular, highlighting those areas which may require further intensive facilitation, and making proposals about the structured management of change in the inspection area over the longer term.”
On 19th November 2008, the union secured a Labour Relations Commission agreement, which recommended ending the industrial action. John Fallon is chairing ongoing discussions on the full range of issues in dispute including the Management Services Unit reports.
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources As a consequence of the establishment of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, some IMPACT members have moved from the Civil Service Division to the Services and Enterprises Division. A Labour Court decision on restructuring and decentralisation is pending in this area.
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government – CLMÉ Branch IMPACT grades were directly affected by automation in a number of work locations. Negotiations by the union have ensured that a range of options are in place for workers affected, including alternative work, transfers and recertification. This has resolved the issue to date.
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IMPACT Civil Service Division
SGS
Oireachtas Ushers branch
IMPACT has secured recognition rights with the private company SGS as part of the agreement which introduced private sector participation to driver testing with the Road Safety Authority. The union pursued this as a matter of policy when the work was outsourced from the driver testers in order to ensure that legal employment entitlements were applied to SGS staff. Recognition also allows the union to monitor the conditions and costs in this area. The outsourcing of tests will come to an end as a consequence of the successful resolution of the backlog, which includes a substantial increase in the rate of testing by state driver testers.
The branch spent considerable time early in 2009 seeking the full implementation of the LRC agreement on restructuring. There are still inconsistencies in the LRC restructuring agreement now in place for a number of years. The union will continue to pursue these issues. The union is progressing a number of claims through the conciliation and arbitration scheme in relation to overtime on annual leave and higher scales.
Adoption Board
Property Registration Authority Management raised the issue of integration with general service grades within the PRA at a partnership meeting earlier this year. Management proposed that the integration would have to be cost neutral. The unions disagreed with the cost neutral proposal and convened to see if they could agree a common position to put to management. However, the exploratory discussions between the unions did not result in a common position and therefore no further discussions took place with management. A number of grading issues were progressed during the year. More recently, given the economic climate, discussions with management have predominantly been in relation to cost containment measures. Staff and management established a new departmental council forum, specific to the PRA, during the year and a number of meetings have taken place.
OCFA branch IMPACT reached agreement with management in relation to the outstanding 1% PCW claim for library and research grades. Management rejected a claim for Irish translation, and the union has put a disagreed report into the conciliation and arbitration scheme. The union made representations during the year in relation to a number of individual and group issues.
16
The unexpected publication of the Adoption Bill 2009 created a lot of concern among IMPACT members regarding the effect of the proposal to transfer all responsibility from the Adoption Board to the newly created Adoption Authority. IMPACT will be making representations regarding civil service status, conditions of employment, and grade and career structuring in the new authority. The union will also make representations on the future reporting relationship between the new authority, the Department of Health and Children, and the Department of Finance.
Forensic Science The necessity to acquire and resource a new laboratory to accommodate the needs of a rapidly expanding service was the biggest issue for the Forensic Science branch. Over the past two years, the branch and management have worked jointly to examine alternative sites and properties, but no suitable accommodation has been identified. Both the branch and management share the view that the issue is a priority in the immediate future. The branch has secured significant additional resources, which were identified and delivered in the aftermath of the Kopp report. However, a number of industrial relations issues still need a resolution in the incoming period, they include:
Report 2007-2009
G Securing the positions of chief and deputy chief analyst for the laboratory G Securing adequate resources to deliver on the introduction of a national DNA database G The introduction of appropriate ‘on-call’ or ‘call-in’ allowances G Career structure for forensic scientist staff.
Most FGE members start employment at a mature age so the long incremental pay scales and low starting pay for these grades places enormous pressure on members. In respect of allowances, the branch holds the view these need to be ‘person to holder’. This issue arises in the context of transferring to another department under decentralisation or by way of surplus in the Dublin area.
Other outstanding matters include starting salaries and the application of the double increment arrangements for qualification.
The Probation Service FGE branch The FGE branch has a number of specific concerns that they are currently pursuing with management: G Revenue state warehouse: The branch is waiting on the Arbitration Board’s report and finding. G Social and Family Affairs santry warehouse: Management is in breach of the Towards 2016 national agreement on the issue of outsourcing. Two meetings have been held with the unions and management to date. G Garda depot Phoenix Park: Management attempted to outsource work appropriate to the services attendant and cleaner grades, which breaches the terms of the national agreement. The branch is waiting on a response to correspondence on the issue. G Department of Transport and Marine in Leeson Lane, Dublin: The department contracted a private security company to the reception area when the Department of Communications and Energy vacated the premises. The branch has sought their removal and replacement with services officers, as the outsourcing arrangements breach the terms of the national agreement. G Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: The branch has an ongoing disagreement with management on the issue of outsourcing. FGE branch members are suffering severe cuts in pay due to the introduction of Government levies and a severe curtailment of overtime. Recruitment to vacant posts in FGE branch grades has come to a halt in most areas.
The branch has developed agreements around mobility and transfer policies in what has been a very busy period for the probation service. The voluntary/ involuntary arrangements contained in the agreements are presenting the branch with significant challenges, particularly in relation to the probation service estates policy, and these are currently being addressed through the IR process. Issues on the agenda include excess travel and time, satisfactory IT access and equipment in satellite offices, and appropriate accommodation for members. The branch has established a project team to examine, in partnership with the service, the introduction of part suspended sentence orders, temporary release arrangements and the incoming legislation on electronic monitoring of offenders, and the effect of these on members’ terms and conditions, as well as resource and service requirements. This project team will report back to the branch on a regular basis and all issues arising will be put through the IR process where appropriate.
Special education needs officers (SENO) Some members work in very primitive conditions and, after discussions with management, IMPACT achieved some progress on improvements in accommodation. The union also entered into discussions with the NCSE regarding the starting salary and annual leave of some members.
17
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Civil Service No.1 branch Civilian drivers The branch lodged a new claim on behalf of civilian drivers with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in relation to a shift allowance. The department accepted that there was some merit in the claim, but they have been unwilling to progress it outside a full review of the civilian drivers in An Garda SiochĂĄna. IMPACT and management reached an agreement with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission for an allowance in respect of one late start per week. This payment will be regarded as an allowance in the nature of pay and was backdated to 1st June 2008.
Community service supervisors The union is currently in discussions with the Department of Justice regarding the value for money and policy review report. Despite evidence that community service is a highly cost effective alternative to imprisonment, usage levels suffered a decline up to 2007. There are large areas of the country where community service orders are very rarely issued. The successful completion rate of community service orders is in the range of 80-85%. The service is currently working at only a third of its capacity and is costing over â‚Ź6 million per annum to deliver. The review would suggest that there is a need for a new model and some restructuring of staff. The intention of the current discussions is to deal with restructuring through partnership. In addition, the discussions recognise that it is vital for the judiciary to have confidence in an excellent and highly cost effective community service programme.
18
Department of Finance language trainers IMPACT is concluding discussions to secure contracts of indefinite duration for the majority of trainers.
Valuation Office Technical grades In November 2008, the union reached agreement with the Valuation Office on a review of technical grades. The outcome of the review secured the creation of two new posts, and allowed two consequential vacancies at higher superintendent level to be filled. The agreement also secured substantiation of all acting positions with the technical grades. Professional grades After intense negotiations, the union reached an agreement for the full implementation of the Rainey report. Under the terms of this agreement IMPACT has secured promotions and contracts of indefinite duration for contract staff. This agreement was necessary to enable the national revaluation programme to be delivered within a ten-year timescale.
Report 2007-2009
Health and safety Mobile masts Management produced a draft report on mobile masts early in 2007, and made amendments to the draft some months later. These are still unacceptable to IMPACT. The union and management held further discussions on the issue, and management has now circulated a revised draft document which is currently being considered by IMPACT.
Equal opportunities Work life balance IMPACT helped to establish the Work Life Balance Network, which was set up to address policy issues and issues raised by various departments and offices in the work life balance review. The network is now finalising its report and hopes to make this available early in 2009.
Career breaks In March 2008 management issued a letter to personnel officers about amendments to Circular 18/98 covering special leave without pay for career breaks. These amendments addressed the issue of eligibility (paragraph 7) and duration and purpose (paragraph 10). Paragraph 7 now reads: “Subject to what follows, established civil servants, who have satisfactorily completed two years continuous service may apply for special leave without pay for a career break, provided they have not reached retiring age. The duration of a
career break may not extend beyond retiring age. (Periods of special leave without pay in accordance with maternity protection legislation, adoptive and carers leave and parental leave should not be considered to break continuity of service for this purpose).” Paragraph 10 now reads: “Eligible staff may, in general, avail of three career breaks in the civil service. A second and third career break may not be taken until the officer has served for a period equal to the duration of the initial or second career break. The total period of the special leave should not exceed ten years in all and no one period of absence should exceed five years. The period of service requirement between career breaks may be waived at the discretion of the Head of Department in exceptional circumstances.” Other forms of special leave without pay (other than periods of less than six months, such as special leave taken under Circular 28/91 or short periods of special leave without pay for study purposes) will, in general, be taken into account when calculating this overall limit.
19
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Parental leave The Department of Finance issued a revised circular on parental leave, circular 20/2008, in 2008.
Breastfeeding breaks In June 2008, the union reached an agreement at general council, allowing for breaks for breastfeeding mothers to be made available until the child has reached two years of age. The same meeting also agreed that the provision of workplace facilities in all offices, particularly those under the decentralisation programme, would be referred to departmental councils in Government departments.
Currently, this board operates the initiative on behalf of the Minister for Finance. From the 1st January 2009 the department has decided to transfer responsibility for the building and maintenance programme for the civil service crèches to the Office of Public Works. The Department of Finance will continue to retain responsibility for policy matters relating to existing crèches, including the allocation of licences to operators to run the crèches, and will continue to have an overall supervisory role in relation to the crèches, which will include monitoring the standard of service provided by the operators.
Disabilities
Term-time scheme In 2007 the union and management agreed that the closing date for all departments and offices for applications for term-time leave would be 2nd November. The number of applications has gone down for 2009-2010.
Crèches There are now six crèches in operation under the civil service childcare initiative. They are at Mount Street, Dublin; Marlborough Street, Dublin; Backweston; Athlone; Sligo and Ennis. Nurture Childcare and Early Learning Centre have taken over the running of Ennis, Mount Street, and Marlborough Street, following a tendering process. This operator will also run the new crèche at Mahon in Cork, which is due to open in January 2009. The Department of Finance conducted a value for money review and the findings were published on the department’s website in November 2008. The Civil Service Childcare Initiative Board agreed to a 4% increase in fees for 2009.
20
Disability liaison officers were presented with the code of practice in February this year, and it was proposed that partnership steering committees should have the code as a regular item on their agenda. The work placement project (WAM) continued in 2008 and was funded by Fás. The project had been EU-funded in previous years. The project aims to provide placements for graduates with disabilities. There were 16 successful candidates in 2008. The union continued to monitor the number of employees with disabilities during the year. Some departments are still not meeting the 3% target. The Disabilities Network continues to meet regularly and new disability liaison officers have been trained. A new website www.disabilities.gov.ie is to go live shortly.
Report 2007-2009
Appendices
21
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Appendix one – salary scales General Service Grades Figures current 1st September 2008 unless otherwise indicated
Secretary General
EO Higher Scale
221,929
30,566 - 32,804 - 34,518 - 36,183 - 37,837 - 39,456 41,092 - 42,684 - 44,323 - 45,416 - 46,959 - 48,109 49,260 - 50,410
Deputy Secretary 177,547
Assistant Secretary 131,748 - 137,737 - 144,225 - 150,712
Civil Service General Grades (Full PRSI)
Principal (higher) 92,730 - 96,555 - 100,392 - 104,217 - 107,485 110,9281 - 114,3662 86,168 - 89,819 - 93,449 - 97,109 - 100,191 - 103,389 106,582
Revised pay with effect from 1st September 2008 for established officers appointed on or after 6th April 1995 paying the Class A rate of PRSI contribution and making an employee contribution in respect of personal superannuation benefits for General Service Grades.
Assistant Principal (higher)
Secretary General
72,681 - 75,448 - 78,226 - 80,989 - 83,760 - 85,375 88,135 - 90,884
233,610
Assistant Principal
186,891
66,179 - 68,656 - 71,132 - 73,609 - 76,087 - 77,520 80,016 - 82,520
Assistant Secretary
Principal 1
2
1
2
1
2
AO Standard Scale 33,372 - 36,400 - 40,275 - 43,226 - 46,176 - 49,137 52,086 - 55,030 - 57,062 - 59,097 1
2
AO Higher Scale 43,226 - 46,176 - 49,137 - 52,086 - 55,030 - 57,062 59,072 - 61,082
HEO Standard Scale
Deputy Secretary
138,683 - 144,986 - 151,816 - 158,644
Principal (higher) 97,617 - 101,636 - 105,675 - 109,705 - 113,141 116,760 - 120,382 1
Principal 90,702 - 94,550 - 98,370 - 102,218 - 105,463 - 108,829 - 112,191 2
Assistant Principal (higher)
46,558 - 47,973 - 49,379 - 50,789 - 52,200 - 53,618 55,030 - 57,062 - 59,097
76,510 - 79,421 - 82,338 - 85,253 - 88,169 - 89,872 92,765 - 95,665
HEO Higher Scale
Assistant Principal
49,379 - 50,789 - 52,200 - 53,618 - 55,030 - 57,062 58,396 - 59,737 - 61,082
69,659 - 72,268 - 74,871 - 77,483 - 80,090 - 81,593 84,225 - 86,865
EO Standard Scale
AO Standard Scale
1
2
30,566 - 32,804 - 34,518 - 36,183 - 37,837 - 39,456 41,092 - 42,684 - 44,323 - 45,416 - 46,959 - 48,504 1
2
1
1
2
2
35,132 - 38,318 - 42,397 - 45,501 - 48,607 - 51,722 54,828 - 57,923 - 60,069 - 62,210 1
1 2
22
2
2
= After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. = After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.
1
Report 2007-2009
AO Higher Scale
Superintendent Mapping
45,501 - 48,607 - 51,722 - 54,828 - 57,923 - 60,069 62,181 - 64,296
43,027 - 44,576 - 45,875 - 47,151 - 48,449 - 49,744 51,016 - 52,624 - 54,229
HEO Standard Scale
Examiner in Charge
1
2
49,007 - 50,495 - 51,980 - 53,464 - 54,952 - 56,438 57,923 - 60,069 - 62,210
37,120 - 37,960 - 38,790 - 39,630 - 40,474 - 41,319 43,027 - 44,383 - 45,741
HEO Higher Scale
Examiner of Maps (per week)
51,980 - 53,464 - 54,952 - 56,438 - 57,923 - 60,069 61,475 - 62,884 - 64,296
636.84 - 655.31 - 673.07 - 689.96 - 707.53 - 720.52 745.35 - 770.21
EO Standard Scale
Mapping Draughtsperson (per week)
1
2
32,179 - 34,527 - 36,335 - 38,083 - 39,825 - 41,531 43,254 - 44,931 - 46,658 - 47,802 - 49,430 - 51,054 1
2
1
1
2
2
454.63 - 467.99 - 484.37 - 500.70 - 517.14 - 533.67 550.11 - 566.61 - 582.49 - 598.21 - 641.04 - 629.83 645.64 - 667.63 - 689.58 1
EO Higher Scale 32,179 - 34,527 - 36,335 - 38,083 - 39,825 - 41,531 43,254 - 44,931 - 46,658 - 47,802 - 49,430 - 50,639 51,852 -53,067
2
Architectural Assistant Grade II (per week) 556.34 - 577.41 - 598.55 - 619.72 - 640.93 - 662.22 681.71 - 703.10 - 724.49 - 744.94 - 765.44 - 791.46 817.52 1
2
Laboratory Analyst 34,627 - 35,655 - 36,634 - 38,951 - 40,450 - 41,959 43,498 - 45,034 - 46,571 - 48,124 - 49,685 - 51,268 52,802 - 53,860
Common Grades
1
Engineer Grade I and Professional Accountant Grade I 69,727 - 72,910 - 74,106 - 76,299 - 78,483 - 81,084 84,051 - 87,016 1
2
Engineer Grade II and Professional Accountant Grade II 59,582 - 60,989 - 62,385 - 63,791 - 65,193 - 66,596 67,993 - 69,412 - 71,723 - 74,036 1
2
Engineer Grade III and Professional Accountant Grade III 32,419 - 35,434 - 38,462 - 41,483 - 44,516 - 46,388 48,256 - 50,127 - 51,898 - 53,860 - 55,729 - 57,597 59,467 - 61,552 - 63,626 1
2
Common Grades (Full PRSI) Revised pay with effect from 1st September 2008 for established officers appointed on or after 6st April 1995 paying the Class A rate of PRSI contribution and making an employee contribution in respect of personal superannuation benefits for General Service Grades.
Engineer Grade I and Professional Accountant Grade I 73,392 - 75,696 - 78,007 - 80,312 - 82,615 - 85,354 88,473 - 91,594 1
Law Clerk (per week)
2
512.18 - 535.03 - 571.68 - 590.73 - 609.79 - 628.84 647.93 - 667.02 - 686.15 - 705.83 - 725.46
Engineer Grade II and Professional Accountant Grade II
Engineering Draughtsperson (per week)
62,719 - 64,197 - 65,669 - 67,148 - 68,624 - 70,100 71,573 - 73,067 - 75,498 - 77,936
1
2
1
556.34 - 577.41 - 598.55 - 619.72 - 640.93 - 662.22 683.60 - 704.05 - 724.49 - 744.94 - 765.44 - 791.46 817.52
2
1
2
Chief Superintendent Mapping 48,703 - 51,063 - 53,428 - 55,790 - 58,152 - 60,510 62,880 - 65,248 - 67,330 - 69,412 - 71,723 - 74,036 1
2
Engineer Grade III and Professional Accountant Grade III 34,126 - 37,302 - 40,486 - 43,673 - 46,861 - 48,827 50,790 - 52,763 - 54,727 - 56,695 - 58,663 - 60,627 62,601 - 64,790 - 66,974 1
1 2
2
= After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. = After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.
23
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Law Clerk (per week)
Department of Agriculture
539.16 - 563.21 - 601.76 - 621.80 - 641.89 - 661.95 682.04 - 702.08 - 722.22 - 742.95 - 763.63
Area Superintendent
Senior Engineering Draughtsperson
53,047 - 54,808 - 56,576 - 58,339 - 60,107 - 61,877 63,640 - 65,867 - 68,096
1
2
1
40,758 - 41,574 - 42,596 - 43,632 - 44,661 - 45,697 46,669 - 48,248 - 49,841 1
2
Engineering Draughtsperson (per week)
2
District Superintendent 37,085 - 40,003 - 42,911 - 45,792 - 48,690 - 51,587 54,474 - 57,369 - 59,494 - 61,616 1
585.66 - 607.78 - 630.05 - 652.31 - 674.67 - 697.12 719.59 - 741.09 - 762.61 - 784.13 - 805.72 - 833.13 860.58 1
2
2
Supervisory Agricultural Officer 35,987 - 37,755 - 39,510 - 41,241 - 42,989 - 44,736 46,469 - 48,202 - 49,930 - 51,774 - 53,624 1
Chief Superintendent Mapping 51,259 - 53,750 - 56,241 - 58,724 - 61,215 - 63,698 66,187 - 68,681 - 70,874 - 73,067 - 75,498 - 77,936 1
2
Superintendent Mapping 1
2
Examiner in Charge 2
Examiner of Maps (per week)
2
Senior Dairy Produce Officer 44,516 - 46,388 - 48,256 - 50,127 - 51,989 - 53,860 55,729 - 57,597 - 59,467 - 61,552 - 63,626 43,500 - 44,674 - 46,012 - 47,344 - 48,683 - 50,023 51,363 - 52,696 - 54,027 - 55,917 - 57,804
2
Mapping Draughtsperson (per week) 478.54 - 492.70 - 509.88 - 527.08 - 544.41 - 561.71 579.09 - 596.47 - 613.10 - 629.69 - 646.33 - 662.93 679.64 - 702.75 - 725.91 1
2
Architectural Assistant Grade II (per week) 585.66 - 607.78 - 630.05 - 652.31 - 674.67 - 697.12 717.63 - 740.09 - 762.61 - 784.13 - 805.72 - 833.13 860.58 1
2
Laboratory Analyst 36,446 - 37,530 - 38,562 - 41,002 - 42,579 - 44,167 45,788 - 47,403 - 49,023 - 50,656 - 52,304 - 53,968 55,581 - 56,696 1
1 2
24
2
Dairy Produce Officer 1
670.38 - 689.81 - 708.51 - 725.94 - 744.77 - 758.48 748.56 - 810.69 1
24,340 - 25,737 - 27,143 - 28,550 - 29,959 - 31,375 32,785 - 34,206 - 35,639 - 37,062 - 38,495 - 39,881 41,752 - 43,169 - 44,586
1
39,078 - 39,959 - 40,828 - 41,718 - 42,600 - 43,493 45,288 - 46,714 - 48,153 1
Technical Agricultural Officer 1
45,288 - 46,922 - 48,284 - 49,633 - 50,998 - 52,364 53,696 - 55,394 - 57,081
2
= After three years satisfactory service at the maximum. = After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.
2
Report 2007-2009
Appendix two – travel and subsistence rates Motor travel rates Effective from 5th March 2009
Rates per kilometre 1mile = 1.609 kilometres Official travel in a calendar year
Engine capacity up to 1,200cc cent 39.12 21.22
Engine capacity 1,201cc to 1,500cc cent 46.25 23.62
Engine capacity 1,501cc and over cent 59.07 28.46
Engine capacity up to 1,200cc cent 62.94 34.13
Engine capacity 1,201cc to 1,500cc cent 74.42 38.00
Engine capacity 1,501cc and over cent 95.05 45.79
Engine capacity 1201cc to 1500cc cent 16.64
Engine capacity 1501cc and over cent 19.49
Engine capacity under 1200cc
Engine capacity 1201cc to 1500cc
Engine capacity 1501cc and over
cent 23.55
cent 26.76
cent 31.36
up to 6,437km 6,438km and over
Rates per mile Official travel in a calendar year up to 4,000 miles 4,001 miles and over
Reduced travel rates Effective from 5th March 2009
Rates per kilometre 1mile = 1.609 kilometres Engine capacity under 1200cc cent 14.64
Rates per mile
Domestic subsistence rates Effective 5th March 2009 Class of Allowances Night Allowances Normal Reduced Detention Rate Rate Rate A 108.99 100.48 54.48 B 107.69 92.11 53.87
Day Allowances 10 hrs or 5 hrs but less more than 10 hrs 33.61 13.71 33.61 13.71
25
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Appendix three – Claims lodged at general council 2008 AHCPS
PSEU
Seeking an ‘urban weighting allowance’ for staff working in urban areas.
That in future interdepartmental competition for PSEU grades, the position is determined by the candidate’s total score.
Staff panel Seeking incremental credit in respect of service in a higher grade and subsequent promotion where the higher grade service is not continuous.
Staff panel Seeking the addition of three extra days annual leave entitlement for all staff operating on a 24 hour sevenday shift.
To introduce a higher scale payment for staff officers.
Staff panel Seeking an increase in CMO resources available to speed up the review of cases referred for assessment.
Staff panel
Seeking a restoration of shift payments to all grades represented by IMPACT in the Irish Coastguard.
For all officers in departments to be provided with user friendly and compact booklets explaining the obligations, restrictions, rights and entitlements under departmental internet and e-mail policies.
Staff panel
Staff panel
That the sick leave regulations for established civil servants be amended in the case of staff who have long service and a good sick leave record so that the period of sick leave on full pay be increased to 12 months in the case of serious illness. Also that the limit of 56 days sick leave in four years in respect of eligibility for promotion be increased to 112 days in the case of such staff.
To provide eye tests for all officers on a biennial basis.
IMPACT
PSEU That the Annual Leave Allowances of the Executive Officer grade be increased by 3 days.
26
CPSU
Staff panel Seeking to commence overtime from 16.30 hours rather than “normal closing time” (Agreed Report 978/1983- Flexible Working Hours) which is generally interpreted to mean 17.30 hours.
Report 2007-2009
Staff panel
Staff panel
That a report be compiled on the implementation of the agreements listed at 1 and 2 in each Department. That a Finance circular setting out the terms of the agreements be issued, and that discussions take place in respect of item 3.
That removal expenses continue to be paid in circumstances where a civil servant applies to be included on a central transfer list.
1. Agreement on telework. 2. Agreement on stress in the workplace. 3. Agreement on harassment and violence at work.
Staff panel Seeking to have career breaks for the purpose of self employment extended from three years to five years.
Staff panel That two further long service increments for AP and PO grades be awarded. In addition the period of eligible service for both the existing and new long service increments are reduced from three to two years.
Staff panel
Staff panel
That a scheme of retirement with immediate payment of full superannuation benefits be introduced for those staff who are under 60 years of age and who have 40 years service.
That overtime payments will be calculable for superannuation purposes.
Staff panel
Staff panel That a compensation package be put in place for those civil servants transferring to decentralised locations under the current decentralised programme who now find themselves in a “negative equity� position with their family homes.
That standard mileage allowances and time off in lieu be paid for the extra time spent traveling each day for staff who are required to undertake additional travel in own transport to and from work in a temporary decentralisation location as a result of the failure of a department to secure permanent accommodation in the official decentralised location by the date set out in official decentralisation plans.
Staff panel To recognise service with all public sector bodies including commercial semi-state companies such as CIE, Aer Lingus, ESB and RTE etc. for the purposes of incremental credit.
Staff panel To increase CO annual leave on appointment to 22 days per year and further increasing CO and SO grades by 1 day after every three years of service, subject to the maximum leave entitlement available to the general service grades.
Staff panel That the pension scheme be amended to remove the anomalies that mean staff that transfer within the public sector are incurring additional costs.
27
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Appendix four – Agreed reports in 2008
No
Title
No
Title
1495
Seeking to have the number of days compassionate leave increased to 10 days on the death of a parent, spouse or child and the definition of immediate relative extended to include aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, first cousins, sister / brother in-law. Outcome recorded: agreement (Note that no increase in the period of bereavement is being given)
1503
That the existing pay on promotion circulars be amended so that civil servants are treated no less favourably than non-civil servants when being promoted on foot of an open competition. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1504
That the motor mileage rates be reviewed with effect from 1st July 2008 on the basis of the agreed formula. Outcome recorded: agreement
1505
That the home subsistence rates be reviewed and any changes applied with effect from 1st July 2008 on the basis of the agreed formula. Outcome recorded: agreement
1506
That breaks for breastfeeding mothers be made available for the first 12 months after giving birth and that workplace facilities be provided in all offices, particularly offices under the decentralisation programme, for breastfeeding mothers. Outcome recorded: agreement
1507
Seeking incremental credit in respect of service in a higher grade and subsequent promotion where the higher grade service is not continuous. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1508
Seeking an ‘urban weighting allowance’ for staff working in urban areas. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1509
To permit to carry forward, without conditions or restrictions, of up to five days annual leave at the end of a leave year. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1496
28
Seeking to return to a position where worksharers are to be allowed some discretion as the method of payment they receive for public holidays. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1497
Seeking the introduction of condensed working hours for staff. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1498
Seeking to have the current flexi carryover of 11.5 hours per flexi period extended to 14 hours per flexi period in the Civil Service. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1499
Seeking to have the starting of flexitime bandwidth from 08.00 to 07.30 with immediate effect. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1500
Seeking the introduction of a new work pattern from 07.00 to 14.00. Outcome recorded: agreement
1501
Seeking a review of the core hours of the work-sharing scheme pattern of 09.00 to 15.00 to be changed to 09.00 to 14.45. Outcome recorded: agreement
1502
Seeking to condense the number of points on the incremental scales of professional and technical grades. Outcome recorded: disagreement
Report 2007-2009
No
Title
No
Title
1510
Seeking the addition of three extra days annual leave for all staff who are operating on a 24-hour seven day week shift. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1515
1511
To grade the post of Deputy Chief Appeals Officer (DCAO) Department of Social and Family Affairs, at PO level. Outcome recorded: disagreement
That in all future interdepartmental competitions for appointment to higher executive officer and assistant principal, position is determined by the candidate’s total score. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1516
To provide eye tests for all officers on a biennial basis. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1517
This report has not yet been signed off.
1518
That the arrangements governing special leave with pay be amended in order to permit such leave for staff obliged to accompany dependent relatives to medical appointments. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1512
Seeking to have the existing full sick leave pay provision extended, from six months to twelve months, where the medical condition involves ongoing oncology care. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1513
That certificates from accredited paramedical staff, such as those issued by physiotherapists and chiropractors, be regarded as equivalent to certification by a doctor for the purposes of sick leave regulations. Outcome recorded: disagreement
1514
That the sick leave regulations for established civil servants be amended in the case of staff who have long service and a good sick leave record so that the period of sick leave on full pay be increased to 12 months in the case of serious illness. Also, that the limit of 56 days sick leave in four years in respect of eligibility for promotion be increased to 112 days in the case of such staff. Outcome recorded: disagreement
29
IMPACT Civil Service Division
Appendix five – Adjudication hearings held in 2008 G Continued payment of an allowance to conservation rangers. The adjudicator findings were in favour of management. G To upgrade the chief clerks in the Circuit Court offices to AP (standard scale). The adjudicator findings were that an annual allowance in the nature of pay be conceded, and such allowance to be set at €3,300 (officers appointed pre 6th April, 1995) and €3,474 (officers appointed post 6th April, 1995). The allowance to take effect from 1st March, 2008. G Co-operation with the introduction of all modernisation and flexibility initiatives. This was an ad-hoc hearing, the adjudicator findings were in favour of management.
30
Report 2007-2009
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