The Garda Representatives Association (GRA) has unanimously rejected a final Government deal, put forward by the Workplace Relations Commission, claiming the continued focus on allowance hikes had failed to meet Garda demands.
The proposed new deal had been centred on the restoration of a €4,000 rent allowance and a 15-minute ‘at parade’ allowance for officers, which would have allowed Garda income to be increased, while technically not breaching the Lansdowne Road Agreement and thereby avoiding the avalanche of comparable pay claims expected to arrive courtesy of other Public Sector Union members.
In order to allow this new agreement to be activated, however, the Government had also sought to further extend Garda hours.
Last night the AGSI accused the Government of circulating misinformation, stating that contrary to statements from Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe and Government Chief Whip Regina Doherty, it was dealing with the Workplace Relations Commission on a once-off basis only.
The GRA Executive Committee were fully briefed on the Government’s new deal earlier today, in the late evening and following an open discussion between committee members, just before 10.00pm tonight, same confirmed that the new proposals had been unanimously rejected on the grounds that an over-stretched Garda force were being asked to work increased hours before rest days and some increases promised could not be fully introduced until 2018.
There now remains the option of the Labour Court to intervene in this serious dispute; however the GRA must wait for an invitation. Now with no resolution on the immediate horizon, all rank and file Gardaí and middle ranking Garda Officers will carry out their threat to withdraw their services for the next four Fridays of this month.
Are we still living in Ireland?