Civil Servcie Divisional Report 07-09

IMPACTCivil Service

Division

Report 2007-2009

www.qualitypublicservices.ie

Front cover photoAlmost a third of IMPACT’s entire membership attended the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ massive demonstration againstthe Government’s handling of the recession in February 2009.

Photo courtesy of the Sunday Tribune.

www.qualitypublicservices.ie

IMPACTCivil Service Division

Report 2007-2009

Contents

Organisation ..........................................................4Divisional Executive Committee ..........................................4

IMPACT staff ..............................................................................4

Civil Service Staff Panel ..........................................................4

Branch organisation ..............................................................4

Pay and incomes ....................................................5Towards 2016 transitional agreement................................5

Crisis talks ..................................................................................5

Social solidarity ........................................................................6

Public service levy ....................................................................6

Benchmarking ..........................................................................7

Incremental credit....................................................................7

Starting pay on promotion....................................................7

Starting pay for new recruits ................................................8

Low pay ......................................................................................8

Senior public service pay........................................................8

Pensions ....................................................................................8

Pension claims ..........................................................................9

Travel and subsistence..........................................................10

Decentralisation ..................................................11IMPACT grades and decentralisation................................11

Jobs and services..................................................12OECD report on Irish public services ................................12

Public service staffing ..........................................................12

Workers’ rights........................................................................13

Cross-stream promotions ....................................................13

Annual leave ..........................................................................13

PMDS ........................................................................................13

Grievance procedures ..........................................................14

Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme ..............................14

Fixed term contracts ............................................................14

Sectoral and vocational developments..........15Department of Agriculture and Food ..............................15

Agriculture No.1 branch dispute ........................................15

Department of Communications Energy and Natural Resources ....................................15

Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government - CLMÉ Branch ..............................15

SGS ............................................................................................16

Property Registration Authority ........................................16

OCFA branch ..........................................................................16

Oireachtas Ushers branch ..................................................16

Adoption Board......................................................................16

Forensic Science ....................................................................16

FGE branch ..............................................................................17

The Probation Service ..........................................................17

Special Education Needs Officers branch ........................17

Civil Service No.1 branch ....................................18

Civilian drivers ........................................................................18

Community service supervisors ........................................18

Department of Finance language trainers......................18

Valuation Office ....................................................................18

Health and safety ................................................19

Mobile masts ..........................................................................19

Equal opportunities ............................................19

Work-life balance ..................................................................19

Career breaks..........................................................................19

Parental leave ........................................................................20

Breastfeeding breaks ............................................................20

Term-time scheme ................................................................20

Crèches ....................................................................................20

Disabilities ..............................................................................20

Appendices ............................................................21

Salary scales............................................................................22

Travel and subsistence..........................................................25

Claims lodged at General Council, 2008 ..........................26

Agreed reports, 2008 ............................................................28

Adjudication hearings, 2008 ..............................................30

Divisional Executive CommittteeThe following were elected to IMPACT’s Civil ServiceDivisional Executive Committee (DEC) at the 2007divisional conference: Una Geaney (An Cathaoirleach),John O’Flanagan (Leas Cathaoirleach), Bobby Carty(third divisional representative on IMPACT’s CentralExecutive Committee), Benny Conaty, Eugene Dunne,Billy Gallagher, Aine Morris, Pol O’Gaibhin, KevinO’Connor, David McManus, and Ernan Tobin.

At its first meeting in June 2007, the DEC agreed to co-opt Geraldine O’Brien onto the DEC until 1st July thesame year. Alan Duffy and Judy Price were co-optedonto the DEC following the resignations of GeraldineO’Brien and David McManus when members of the TaxOfficials branch were integrated into the generalservice unions. Aine Morris had to resign for work-related reasons and Billy Gallagher was elected IMPACThonorary treasurer in 2008. They were replaced byPhilip Slattery and Denis McQuaid.

IMPACT staffLouise O’Donnell continues as the national secretarysupporting the division. Tom Hoare, Geraldine O’Brien,Ray Ryan, Shay Clinton, Brendan McKay and StephenLyons are the assistant general secretaries currentlyproviding service to the civil service branches. Jim Faycontinues to service the FGE branch. Pat Bolger, AngelaKirk and Brian Gorman have moved to new assign -ments. We wish all new activists and staff well and wetake this opportunity to thank all of those who haveleft the service of the division.

Civil Service Staff PanelJohn O’ Flanagan was elected vice chairperson of thestaff panel for 2008-2009. IMPACT is represented onthe civil service staff panel and general council. It isalso represented on the relevant departmental staffpanels and departmental councils.

Branch organisationThe members of the Tax Officials branch transferred tothe general service unions from 1st July 2007. Since thedivisional conference in 2007, a number of smallerbranches have joined the Civil Service No.1 branch. Thedivision has also successfully recruited members inareas where civil service work has been outsourced.

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IMPACT Civil Service Division

Organisation

All grades in the division received pay increases worth10% in four phases between December 2006 andSeptember 2008 under the first phase of the Towards2016 national agreement, which was accepted by a 79-21% margin in a national ballot of IMPACT members.When the Government announced measures tocontrol public spending in summer 2008, manybusiness organisations, politicians and economiccommentators called for the final 2.5% increase to bescrapped. But IMPACT strongly resisted this and thepayment was made as agreed.

Towards 2016 transitional agreementTalks on the second phase of Towards 2016 began inApril 2008 with unions seeking a deal that protectedliving standards from inflation, as well as a number ofnon-pay measures centred on workplace and rep -resen tational rights. IMPACT also led public serviceunions in seeking a new system of public service paydetermination, after the second report of the PublicService Benchmarking Body recommended no inc -reases for most (see below). Employers’ body IBEC’searly call for a public service pay freeze was stronglyrebutted by IMPACT in the talks and in the media.

In August 2008, the talks broke down over the payterms and employer demands for stronger ‘inability topay’ clauses. Negotiations resumed in September andresulted in a transitional agreement with pay increasesworth 6% over 21 months, with an extra 0.5% for thoseearning less than €11 an hour. The deal, which includedan 11-month public service pay pause and a three-month pay pause in private and commercial semi-statecompanies, was accepted by a margin of 91%-9% in anational ballot of IMPACT members. The Departmentof Finance told public service employers that theymust pay the first phase, worth 3.5% from 1stSeptember 2009, out of existing budgets.

During the negotiations, unions prevented IBEC’sattempts to massively strengthen the Towards 2016‘inability to pay' provisions.

Crisis talksThe sudden and rapid worsening of the economy andpublic finances at the end of 2008 led to a resumptionof meetings between the social partners in December.The objective was to agree an approach to economicrecovery.

Although the budgetary crisis was not caused bypublic servants or public service pay, ICTU economistsacknowledged that up to 20% of Ireland’s tax hadbecome dependent on the finance, property andconstruction sectors, which had collapsed leaving amassive hole in Government income. The problemquickly worsened as growing unemployment rapidlyreduced the tax take even further and increasedspending on social welfare and related medical andother costs. At the beginning of 2009, therefore, therewas broad agreement on the need to save as much as€16 billion in public spending between 2009 and 2013in order to restore the public finances. But there was noagreement on how this should be done. The situationin both the public finances and the wider economyhad substantially worsened as this report went to print.

Entering the talks, employers’ body IBEC said it bel -ieved the pay deal was defunct while the Governmentwas focused exclusively on the need to save €2 billionin public spending in 2009; a saving it wanted to makepredominantly from payroll costs. From the outset,IMPACT resisted the Government’s preferred option ofa 10% across-the-board cut in public service pay andmade clear that it would not negotiate cuts in core payor pension benefits.

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Report 2007-2009

Pay and incomes

Social solidarityUnited behind an Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)strategy, IMPACT insisted that a ‘social solidarity’framework for economic recovery must be agreedbefore unions would discuss specific measures to dealwith the crisis in public finances. As a result, the socialpartners agreed a ‘Framework Pact for Stabilisation,Social Solidarity and Reform’ at the end of January2009. The main points of the framework, whichincluded all the core elements of ICTU’s demands, aresummarised in the box below.

Public service levyIMPACT’s adamant insistence that core pay andpension benefits be preserved led the Government toconsider other measures, including additional staffcontributions towards the cost of pensions, deferral ofTowards 2016 pay increases, and changes in otherareas like travel and subsistence, premium payments,and overtime arrangements. Meanwhile, there wasalmost no progress on tangible measures to imple -ment the framework agreed between the socialpartners, which was to have delivered protection forthe most vulnerable and a higher contribution toeconomic recovery from those most able to pay.

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Framework Pact for Stabilisation, Social Solidarity and Reform

MAIN POINTS

� A commitment to a social partnership approach

� A commitment that all sectors of society must contribute in accordance with their ability to do so, includingsheltered sectors of the economy like professional services

� 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

� A commitment to introduce controls on senior executives’ remuneration

� Stabilisation of the banking system and a Government commitment to seek to assist people who get intodifficulties with their mortgages – plus a new statutory code of practice on mortgage arrears and homerepossessions

� Measures to support the unemployed and help them back into work

� A commitment to a fair and equitable spread of necessary adjustments in public spending

� 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

� A reform of price regulation in areas like energy

� A re-prioritisation of capital spending towards labour-intensive activities

� A commitment that the social partners would address the crisis in private pensions

� Recognition of the need to progressively reduce the level of Exchequer borrowing over the next five years inorder to reduce the general Government deficit “to below 3% by 2013 through an appropriate combination ofexpenditure and taxation adjustments”*

� A re-affirmation of Towards 2016 commitments to legislation to strengthen workers’ rights and protections

� A reaffirmation of the Towards 2016 commitment to use the social partnership Health Forum to implementhealth reforms.

* As the economy and public finances worsened after this framework was agreed, ICTU sought a re-scheduling of this timetable to avoid rapiddepression of economic activity and a devastating effect on public services.

The talks finally collapsed without agreement afterGovernment officials presented unions with a proposalfor a public service levy averaging 7.5% of grossearnings, minus tax relief, across the public service. TheGovernment proposal also included the deferral of thepublic service Towards 2016 pay increases and a 25%across-the-board reduction in travel and subsistencerates. IMPACT then led a massive campaign of politicallobbying, which was supported by other public serviceunions and involved hundreds of IMPACT membersand others. This culminated in national newspaperadverts and a mass lobby of TDs’ constituencies in themiddle of February.

The union also put a massive mobilisation effort intoICTU’s national demonstration on 21st February, whenover a third of the union’s members participated in anevent that attracted well over 120,000 protesters. Fourdays later, almost all ICTU unions including IMPACTannounced that they would ballot their members forindustrial action over the Government’s approach tothe economic crisis, including the levy, and theGovernment and employers’ decision to abandon thenational agreement. Unions from both the public andprivate sectors agreed that the industrial action wouldbegin with a one-day stoppage on 30th March.However, the Government rushed through legislationto impose the public service levy, which becameeffective on 1st March 2009.

As this report was being finalised, ICTU’s 30th Marchstoppage was deferred after its Executive Councilaccepted an invitation from An Taoiseach Brian Cowento re-enter talks aimed at reaching an agreed nationalpartnership framework for dealing with the economiccrisis. The Taoiseach’s invitation followed extensivebehind-the-scenes work by senior ICTU represent -atives, including IMPACT general secretary PeterMcLoone who insisted that changes to the pensionlevy must form part of the negotiation. IMPACT alsosaid it wanted an agreed framework to deal withbudget shortfalls in various sectors of the publicservice and state agencies.

Just prior to this, IMPACT’s Central Executive Comm -ittee (CEC) decided that it had no basis to sanctionparticipation in the 30th March stoppage after itsmembers voted in favour of industrial action by amargin of 65% in favour and 35% against, which wasmarginally short of the two-thirds majority requiredunder the union’s Rule 25, which deals with industrialaction ballots.

BenchmarkingThe second report of the Public Service BenchmarkingBody (PSBB) was published in December 2007 andrecommended pay increases for just 15 of the 109grades it examined. A detailed report on this wasincluded in IMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report. TheTowards 2016 transitional agreement concededIMPACT's demand for a review of the benchmarkingpro cess to address union concerns about the oper -ation and methodology of the first and secondbenchmarking exercises.

IMPACT also sought payment of the recommendedawards, which led to the Towards 2016 transitionalagreement saying that the first 5% of the awards wouldbe paid with effect from 1st September 2008 and thatthe implementation of the remainder would beconsidered after 2010. However, the payment has notbeen sanctioned and the Department of Finance hassaid that it has no plans to sanction payment in thecurrent economic and fiscal circumstances.

Incremental creditIn January 2008, IMPACT reached an agreement withthe Department of Finance on incremental credit forIMPACT grades linked to clerical officer and executiveofficer grades, which included the recognition ofrelevant service in the public sector prior to joining thecivil service. The union succeeded in reaching a similaragreement for IMPACT grades linked to service officergrades in July 2008. Both agreements were backdatedto October 2002.

Starting pay on promotionIMPACT has been pursuing a claim on starting paysince 2002. The union says that existing civil servantsshould be treated no less favourably than non-civilservants when they are promoted on foot of an opencompetition. Despite numerous discussions with theunion, management is not prepared to change theexisting arrangements. Disagreement was recorded inJune 2008.

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Report 2007-2009

Starting pay for new recruitsThe union has successfully reached an agreement onstarting pay. Where it is possible to start above theminimum salary, for professional and technical grades,this information will be included in the advertisementfor the job in addition to the relevant applicationcriteria. All personnel officers have been advised of thisrequirement in writing.

Low payUnions are resisting attempts by employers’ represent -atives to reduce the statutory minimum wage, whichwas last increased to €8.65 in July 2007. The Towards2016 transitional agreement, which has not beenimplemented, included an extra 0.5% increase forworkers earning €11 an hour or less.

Senior public service payDetails of the 42nd report of the Review Body onHigher Remuneration were included in IMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report. The first phase of the recomm -ended awards was paid in September 2007. Thesecond and third phases, due in September 2008 andMarch 2009, have not yet been sanctioned.

PensionsIMPACT’S 2006-2008 biennial report outlined thedeveloping problem of funded defined benefitschemes in the private sector and commercial statecompanies. The Pensions Board has estimated that 90per cent of these schemes are in significant deficit.ICTU has prioritised this issue in talks with the Govern -ment and has demanded a pension’s protection fundto deal with insolvencies and new standards andcriteria for schemes with ongoing deficits. Thesenegative developments have created a difficult overallclimate for addressing IMPACT’s superannuationissues.

IMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report also outlined theoutcome of the joint union-management workinggroup that dealt with issues arising from the Comm -ission on Public Service Pensions. A revised method ofreckoning variable pensionable allowances for pensionpurposes was subsequently implemented. Otheragreed recommendations concerning the spouses andchildren’s scheme have been held up by the Dep -artment of Finance and it is unclear when they will beimplemented.

The Department has rejected the union’s demand forrefunds of contributions where over 40 years’ havebeen paid, saying they will not agree to any change inthe existing practice because:

� Most public servants make explicit pension con -tributions towards their main scheme benefits.Pensionable salary for these public servants isgenerally 5% higher than for their counterpartswho do not make contributions.

� The value of superannuation benefits continues toincrease beyond the 40-year threshold becauseincrements, promotions and pay increases thatoccur after 40 years service are reflected in thepension and superannuation lump sum ultimatelypayable on retirement.

� Unlike public service spouses’ and children’spension schemes, where the costs are generallyshared between the employers and employees,the employee contribution in the main schemerepresents just a small element in the overall costof providing benefits. The second report of thePublic Service Benchmarking Body valued theemployers’ costs of public service pensions at 20%of salary, with contributory employees payingaround 5% on average.

� The claim for refund of contributions has to beplaced in the context of the overall imperative ofsecuring long-run sustainability and affordabilityin pension provision in Ireland, as set out in therecent green paper on pensions.

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Pension claimsIn November 2008 IMPACT lodged two claims atgeneral council in relation to superannuation andpensions. The first was:

That the pension scheme be amended to removethe anomalies that result in staff that transferwithin the public service to incur additional costs. Inparticular:

a. Staff who opt out of a public service spouses andchildren scheme should not be obliged to join asimilar scheme as a condition of transfer ofemployment

b. Where staff have been obliged to join such ascheme as a condition of transfer, they shouldhave their right to opt out restored

c. Where they were obliged to join the scheme as acondition of transfer, they should not be obligedto pay into the scheme for the period when theywere outside of the scheme.

Management responded by saying that membershipwas optional for employees serving when the schemeswere introduced. Each employee retains the option ofmembership so long as they remain in the sameemployment. Employees also retain this option also ifthey are transferred, under statute, to another body inthe public service. Membership is compulsory for allother staff, whether they are new recruits, employeeswith previous service in another area of the publicservice, or employees with previous service in the areathey are now employed.

Underpinning this policy is the fact that each body ororganisation has its own individual scheme whichwould have been introduced at a different date. Whileservice can be transferred from one area to another,terms and conditions cannot. There is a longstandingpolicy that gives the employee the option of aggre -gating service. Benefits are then subject to the termsand conditions of the later period of employ ment. But,by choosing to preserve benefit from the earlieremployment, it has the effect of employees qualifyingfor two pensions.

The Commission on Public Service Pensions con -sidered the question of compulsory membership forsingle people, and the non-refundable nature of thecontributions paid by them, and decided not torecommend any change in the existing scheme rules. Itwould be costly, administratively difficult and likely tolead to pressure for other staff to be given an opt-out,and have the effect of rendering the scheme a

voluntary one. There would also be renewed claims fora further option to be given to serving staff that mayhave opted out of the schemes when they wereintroduced. The scheme is compulsory and this is seenas a core element.

The second IMPACT claim was:

That a scheme of retirement with immediatepayment of full superannuation benefits beintroduced for those staff who are under 60 years ofage who have 40 years service or more.

In their response, management said that the currentposition of civil servants who wish to resign before theminimum pension age is that they may preserve theirsuperannuation benefits until the minimum pensionage. Alternatively, they can opt for immediate super -annuation benefits on a cost-neutral basis.

The Government introduced this cost-neutral arrange -ment following their consideration of the report of theCommission on Public Service Pensions. The Comm -ission recommended the arrangement to allow publicservants within ten years of minimum pension age toretire with immediate payment of reduced benefits, toallow for the longer period over which the benefitswould be paid. However, the Commission did notsupport early retirement along the lines of this claim,highlighting the fact that early retirement, other thanon an actuarially reduced basis, gives rise to substantialpension costs.

The Government wants to minimise the growth offuture pension costs, and there are significant chall -enges to pension sustainability in the future, whichwere starkly set out in the Green Paper on publicservice pensions. Consequently, there is no scope foragreeing the union’s claim for the scheme ofretirement described in this claim.

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Report 2007-2009

Travel and subsistenceWhile there have been no recent discussions on subsis -tence rates, a meeting between civil service unions andthe Department of Finance took place in September2008 where the Department outlined the results of anexercise it had undertaken in relation to the prevailingmotor mileage formula. If adopted, this approachwould have reduced the rates by 4.2% in the small carcategory, 4.63% in the medium car category and 1.39%in the large car category. The exercise was based onbestselling cars following vehicle registration taxchanges, and only factored in the effect of the car pricechanges. The Department said Government policy ofencouraging the use of greener cars should bereflected in the construction of the motor travel rates.

IMPACT countered that the formula was meant to haveregard to vehicles actually purchased and that 2009budgetary changes might also affect car prices. Afurther meeting was held in January 2009 where itemerged that the cost of small and large category carsin the bestselling list had dropped by up to €3,000,while the cost of middle range cars had increasedslightly. Taken with falling fuel prices, the Departmentsignaled that these price falls would lead to asignificant drop in the mileage rate.

Independently of this process, in March 2009 theGovernment imposed revised rates that cut paymentsby 25% across the board as part of its measures toreduce public spending. IMPACT has since lodged aclaim for a review of travel and subsistence rates underthe standard criteria.

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The Department of Finance issued a discussion paperon loss of earnings in 2007. IMPACT is awaiting afurther response on a number of specific issues itraised with management.

In November 2008, the Government announced that ithad reviewed the decentralisation programme anddecided that 6,000 posts would move to locationsalready operational or committed to coming onstream. However, a further 5,000 posts will now bedeferred until a further review in 2011. IMPACT’sdecentral isation sub-committee met to discuss theimplications of this announcement for thedecentralisation programme, and the following claimwas lodged at a meeting of the general council: That acom pensation package be put in place for those civilservants trans ferring to decentralised locations undercurrent decen tralisation programme who now findthemselves in a “negative equity” position with theirfamily homes.

During 2008 management issued the following papersconcerning the decentralisation programme;

� HR agreement

� Transfer protocol

� Acting up paper

� Promotion paper

� Tax officers/higher tax officers

� Revised Dublin arrangements

� ICT agreement and tables for the Department ofEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government andthe Department of Enterprise, State and Employ -ment

� ICT paper, Department of Agriculture and Food.

IMPACT grades and decentralisationFGE

IMPACT’s FGE branch is holding separate negotiationsin relation to the impact of decentralisation on itsmembers. The following items have been identified bythe branch as the key issues:

� The placement of staff from decentralising depart -ments

� The protection of earnings, including allowancesand overtime

� The recruitment of staff for departments and areasdue to decentralise

� Opposition to the outsourcing of work appropriateto IMPACT grades

� The principles of promotion arrangements underdecentralisation

� The retention of FGE grades in all governmentoffices

� Maintaining civil service status

� The need for the department to provide up to datestatistical information detailing the numbers ofposts remaining in Dublin and those due todecentralise.

Professional and technical

A small number of IMPACT members have moved tonew locations with the Department of Foreign Affairsand the Prison Service. The next phase of decentral -isation requires the movement of staff in the Office ofPublic Works to Trim, Co. Meath. However, there is stilla large shortfall in applications from pro fessional andtechnical staff in relation to this move. While talks havecommenced with management, very little progresshas been made. A significant number of proposedrelocations affecting IMPACT grades have been pushedback to 2011.

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Report 2007-2009

Decentralisation

OECD report on Irish public servicesIn April 2008 the Organisation for Economic Co-oper -ation and Development (OECD) published a report onIreland’s public services, which found that they weredelivering high quality services at a relatively low price.The study debunked the myth that public service payand employment are out of control and reported thatthe Irish public service is doing “more with less” thanother OECD countries, relative to the size of the overalleconomy and workforce, because public spending andemployment had not kept up with population andeconomic growth in the last decade. It found that,compared to other OECD countries, Ireland had arelatively small public service given the size of itseconomy and labour force.

It also said that too many arms length agencies hadbeen set up, which led to fragmentation and reducedtransparency, and warned against the centralisation ofhuman resource management. It recommended a“careful approach” to performance-related pay andcalled for more mobility in recruitment between thecivil and public service.

In November 2008, the Government published thereport of a task force set up to make recommendationson the implementation the OECD report and estab -lished a group to make proposals on the reallocationand rationalisation of public service staff. This four-person ‘special group on public service numbers andexpenditure programmes’ is to “examine the currentexpenditure programmes in each Department andmake recommendations for reducing public servicenumbers” with the aim of eliminating the budgetdeficit by 2011. It is chaired by economist ColmMcCarthy and is due to make a final report to theMinister for Finance by the end of June 2009. Its termsof reference do not include pay or pension issues.

Public service staffingIn March 2009, the Department of Finance issued drac -onian employment controls in the public services,which included the following measures:

� A general moratorium on recruitment, promotionsand acting appointments to almost all grades

� The application of this general moratorium tofixed-term posts and to the renewal of fixed-termcontracts

� The requirement of prior sanction from the financeminister, on an “exceptional basis,” for filling of anypost covered by the moratorium

� Any such filling to be achieved through re -deployment.

The Department of Finance circular that implementsthe new policy says there will be separate corres -pondence on arrangements for consultation withunions on the issue of redeployment.

IMPACT immediately sought clarification of how it wasproposed to interpret and implement the circular andexpressed strong concerns about the negative impactit would have on services and staff. The union reit -erated its long-standing rejection of the bluntinstrument of recruitment embargoes and the blanketnon-renewal of temporary contracts, which coulddevastate services and substantially increase unem -ployment. The union had already sought an agreedframework for dealing with public service recruitmentand staffing issues in the national talks that resumed inMarch 2009 and was continuing to pursue this as thisreport went to print.

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Jobs and services

Workers’ rightsIMPACT’s 2006-2008 biennial report outlined thecomprehensive new package of workplace protectionsagreed in the Towards 2016 national agreement. Thesewere further strengthened in the Towards 2016transitional agreement and, although the agreementhas not been implemented, ICTU is still pressing forlegislation in a number of areas including theprevention of victimisation of trade union membersand inducements aimed at forcing people to leavetheir union. The transitional agreement also concededICTU’s demand for a review to consider the legal andother steps required to enable collective bargainingmechanisms established under previous agreementsto operate as intended.

In the summer of 2008, an EU agreement led to theadoption of a European directive on agency workerswhich, once transposed into domestic legislation, willsee agency workers entitled to the same pay andconditions as permanent staff. Unions across Europehave fought for these protections for years and ICTU ispressing for the directive to be implemented quickly inIreland, even though EU rules give the Governmentuntil December 2011 to transpose it into Irish law.

Trade unions also won an important victory in Dec -ember 2008 when the European Parliament rejectedproposed amendments to working time laws. Prior tothe vote IMPACT wrote to all Irish MEPs urging them toreject the proposed changes, which would have led toweaker protections for workers in Ireland and else -where. The changes would have preserved an exis tingopt-out, which was known to have led to workersdoing excessive hours in Britain and elsewhere. Itwould also have brought adverse changes to the wayon-call working time is determined as well as exten -ding the period over which employers could averageworking time.

Cross-stream promotionsDespite government policy and provisions in theTowards 2016 national agreement, no progress hasbeen made on the issue of cross-stream promotion.IMPACT took part in a meeting between all the unionsand the Department of Finance on the issue in April2007. The union outlined its position at a furthermeeting with the department April 2008. The Depart -ment of Finance has not yet made any response on theissue. The other unions involved have indicated thatprocessing this issue is not a priority.

Annual leaveThe union was successful in reaching an agreementwith the Department of Finance covering an anomalyin senior advisors’ annual leave entitlements. Thedepart ment wrote to the relevant departments advis -ing that the correct annual leave entitlement is 31days.

PMDSThe union sub-committee met in November 2008 todiscuss seeking a review of PMDS. The following issueswere raised;

� 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 existingagreements. The sub-committee felt that, in the curr -ent economic climate, it was not appropriate to bringthe review forward.

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Report 2007-2009

Grievance proceduresManagement provided a draft report on grievance pro -cedures, which the union considered but did notapprove. IMPACT agreed to meet again with manage -ment for further discussion. The meeting took placefollowing a change in management personnel, andthey agreed to provide a further document early in2009. The new document will need to reflect the movefrom the conciliation and arbitration scheme to theLabour Relations Commission and Labour Court.

Conciliation and arbitration schemeA proposal by IMPACT and the CPSU to move grievanceprocedures from the conciliation and arbitrationscheme to the Labour Relations Commission andLabour Court was agreed by a vote of the staff panel inMay 2008.

The panel agreed to set up a sub-committee in order tocontinue discussions with management. The sub-committee members are Louise O’Donnell (IMPACT),Blair Horan (CPSU), Tom Geraghty (PSEU) John Clinton(POA) and Dave Thomas (AHCPS). Man agement hasnominated David Hurley, Marie McLoughlin, OonaghBuckley and Brian Fee to the sub-committee, whichwill be chaired by David Hurley.

The unions met with the Department of Finance in July2008, when management indicated that they were notopposed to the claim in principle. However, manage -ment said that the unions would have to get consensuson procedures in order to facilitate the move, and thatit would require primary legislation. The unions agreedon a draft document following a series of meetings inJuly, September and October. The draft has beensubmitted to management and their response ispending.

Fixed term contractsThe union achieved a landmark victory after the‘IMPACT 91’ fixed term workers cases were heard in theEuropean Court of Justice (ECJ) in December 2007. TheECJ issued its findings in April 2008 and upheldIMPACT’s position and the cases were then referredback to the Labour Court.

The Department of Finance subsequently agreed todrop its appeal against the Rights Commissionersdecision and to implement the findings in full. Allcompensation due has now been paid and arrears ofannual leave and allowances due to members in theDepartment of Foreign Affairs have been sanctioned.The next phase is to sort out pension entitlements forthe 91 claimants and the Department is currentlyworking on this. The final step is to get the membersestablished. However, there is no entitlement to thisunder the Fixed Term Workers Act.

In December 2008, the Department issued Guidelineson best practice for the recruitment and management offixed term employees in the Irish civil service.

The report covers � Protection of employees (Fixed Term Work Act

2003)� Recruitment process� Contract of employment – statutory requirements� Terms and conditions� Renewal of fixed term contracts� Termination of service� Redress� Unfair Dismissals Act (1977-2007).

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Department of Agriculture and FoodThe Management Services Unit in the Department ofAgriculture and Food undertook a number of reviewsin 2008. Three reports on technical staffing were issuedthat identified a range of work changes and reductionsin staff totaling 190 posts. A further report on the meatarea is pending. IMPACT has engaged directly with theLabour Relations Commission facili tation process onthe major challenges to be add ressed. In addition, theManagement Services Unit is due to issue a report onthe work of the Pro fessional Agricultural Officers’branch in the inspec torate area of the department.

Agriculture No.1 branch disputeThe branch conducted a ballot for industrial action inSeptember 2008 in response to breaches of agree mentwith IMPACT, particularly as a result of non-con sul -tation on a range of measures implemented withoutunion agreement. The ballot result was in favour ofindustrial action and this commenced in October.

On October 31st IMPACT met the National Implemen -tation Body (NIB) which resulted in a referral to theLabour Relations Commission. The NIB reached thefollowing conclusion:

“Having heard from both parties, the NIB acknowledgesthe number of complex and interrelated issues contrib -uting to the current dispute. Accordingly, the NIB believesthe parties could benefit from the assistance of a thirdparty facilitator. Such a facilitation process would serve,in the first instance, to clarify and define the precise issuein question. Specifically, it would assess whether each ofthe individual issues in contention are of an operationalor structural nature; and would consider and makeproposals to the NIB as to how the various issuesidentified might best be progressed – in particular, high -lighting those areas which may require further intensivefacilitation, and making proposals about the structuredmanagement of change in the inspection area over thelonger term.”

On 19th November 2008, the union secured a LabourRelations Commission agreement, which recomm -ended ending the industrial action. John Fallon ischairing ongoing discussions on the full range of issuesin dispute including the Management Services Unitreports.

Department of Communications, Energyand Natural ResourcesAs a consequence of the establishment of the SeaFisheries Protection Authority, some IMPACT membershave moved from the Civil Service Division to theServices and Enterprises Division. A Labour Courtdecision on restructuring and decentralisation ispending in this area.

Department of the Environment,Heritage and Local Government –CLMÉ BranchIMPACT grades were directly affected by automation ina number of work locations. Negotiations by the unionhave ensured that a range of options are in place forworkers affected, including alternative work, transfersand recertification. This has resolved the issue to date.

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Report 2007-2009

Sectoral and vocational developments

SGSIMPACT has secured recognition rights with the privatecompany SGS as part of the agreement whichintroduced private sector participation to drivertesting with the Road Safety Authority. The unionpursued this as a matter of policy when the work wasoutsourced from the driver testers in order to ensurethat legal employment entitlements were applied toSGS staff. Recognition also allows the union to monitorthe conditions and costs in this area. The outsourcingof tests will come to an end as a consequence of thesuccessful resolution of the backlog, which includes asubstantial increase in the rate of testing by state drivertesters.

Property Registration AuthorityManagement raised the issue of integration withgeneral service grades within the PRA at a partnershipmeeting earlier this year. Management proposed thatthe integration would have to be cost neutral. Theunions disagreed with the cost neutral proposal andconvened to see if they could agree a commonposition to put to management. However, the explora -tory discussions between the unions did not result in acommon position and therefore no further discussionstook place with management.

A number of grading issues were progressed duringthe year. More recently, given the economic climate,discussions with management have predominantlybeen in relation to cost containment measures. Staffand management established a new departmentalcouncil forum, specific to the PRA, during the year anda number of meetings have taken place.

OCFA branchIMPACT reached agreement with management inrelation to the outstanding 1% PCW claim for libraryand research grades. Management rejected a claim forIrish translation, and the union has put a disagreedreport into the conciliation and arbitration scheme.The union made representations during the year inrelation to a number of individual and group issues.

Oireachtas Ushers branchThe branch spent considerable time early in 2009seeking the full implementation of the LRC agreementon restructuring. There are still incon sistencies in theLRC restructuring agreement now in place for anumber of years. The union will continue to pursuethese issues. The union is progressing a number ofclaims through the concili ation and arbitration schemein relation to overtime on annual leave and higherscales.

Adoption BoardThe unexpected publication of the Adoption Bill 2009created a lot of concern among IMPACT membersregarding the effect of the proposal to transfer allresponsibility from the Adoption Board to the newlycreated Adoption Authority. IMPACT will be makingrepresentations regarding civil service status, condit -ions of employment, and grade and career structuringin the new authority. The union will also makerepresentations on the future reporting relationshipbetween the new authority, the Department of Healthand Children, and the Department of Finance.

Forensic ScienceThe necessity to acquire and resource a new laboratoryto accommodate the needs of a rapidly expandingservice was the biggest issue for the Forensic Sciencebranch. Over the past two years, the branch andmanagement have worked jointly to examine alter -native sites and properties, but no suitable accommo -dation has been identified. Both the branch andmanagement share the view that the issue is a priorityin the immediate future. The branch has securedsignificant additional resources, which were identifiedand delivered in the aftermath of the Kopp report.However, a number of industrial relations issues stillneed a resolution in the incoming period, they include:

16


� Securing the positions of chief and deputy chiefanalyst for the laboratory

� Securing adequate resources to deliver on theintroduction of a national DNA database

� The introduction of appropriate ‘on-call’ or ‘call-in’allowances

� Career structure for forensic scientist staff.

Other outstanding matters include starting salariesand the application of the double increment arrange -ments for qualification.

FGE branchThe FGE branch has a number of specific concerns thatthey are currently pursuing with management:� Revenue state warehouse: The branch is waiting

on the Arbitration Board’s report and finding.� Social and Family Affairs santry warehouse: Man -

age ment is in breach of the Towards 2016 nationalagreement on the issue of outsourcing. Twomeetings have been held with the unions andmanagement to date.

� Garda depot Phoenix Park: Management attem -pted to outsource work appropriate to the servicesattendant and cleaner grades, which breaches theterms of the national agreement. The branch iswaiting on a response to correspondence on theissue.

� Department of Transport and Marine in LeesonLane, Dublin: The department contracted a privatesecurity company to the reception area when theDepartment of Communications and Energyvacated the premises. The branch has sought theirremoval and replacement with services officers, asthe outsourcing arrangements breach the terms ofthe national agreement.

� Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Thebranch has an ongoing disagreement with man -age ment on the issue of outsourcing.

FGE branch members are suffering severe cuts in paydue to the introduction of Government levies and asevere curtailment of overtime. Recruitment to vacantposts in FGE branch grades has come to a halt in mostareas.

Most FGE members start employment at a mature ageso the long incremental pay scales and low startingpay for these grades places enormous pressure onmembers. In respect of allowances, the branch holdsthe view these need to be ‘person to holder’. This issuearises in the context of transferring to anotherdepartment under decentralisation or by way ofsurplus in the Dublin area.

The Probation ServiceThe branch has developed agreements aroundmobility and transfer policies in what has been a verybusy period for the probation service. The voluntary/involuntary arrangements contained in the agree -ments are presenting the branch with significantchallenges, particularly in relation to the probationservice estates policy, and these are currently beingaddressed through the IR process. Issues on theagenda include excess travel and time, satisfactory ITaccess and equipment in satellite offices, andappropriate accommodation for members.

The branch has established a project team to examine,in partnership with the service, the introduction of partsuspended sentence orders, temporary release arr -ange ments and the incoming legislation on electronicmonitoring of offenders, and the effect of these onmembers’ terms and conditions, as well as resourceand service requirements. This project team will reportback to the branch on a regular basis and all issuesarising will be put through the IR process whereappropriate.

Special education needs officers (SENO)Some members work in very primitive conditions and,after discussions with management, IMPACT achievedsome progress on improvements in accommodation.The union also entered into discussions with the NCSEregarding the starting salary and annual leave of somemembers.

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Report 2007-2009

Civilian driversThe branch lodged a new claim on behalf of civiliandrivers with the Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform, in relation to a shift allowance. The departmentaccepted that there was some merit in the claim, butthey have been unwilling to progress it outside a full re-view of the civilian drivers in An Garda Siochána. IM-PACT and management reached an agreement with theassistance of the Labour Relations Commission for anallowance in respect of one late start per week. This pay-ment will be regarded as an allowance in the nature ofpay and was backdated to 1st June 2008.

Community service supervisorsThe union is currently in discussions with the Depart -ment of Justice regarding the value for money andpolicy review report. Despite evidence that comm -unity service is a highly cost effective alternative toimprisonment, usage levels suffered a decline up to2007. There are large areas of the country wherecommunity service orders are very rarely issued. Thesuccessful completion rate of community serviceorders is in the range of 80-85%. The service is currentlyworking at only a third of its capacity and is costingover €6 million per annum to deliver. The review wouldsuggest that there is a need for a new model and somerestructuring of staff. The intention of the currentdiscussions is to deal with restructuring throughpartnership. In addition, the discussions recognise thatit is vital for the judiciary to have confidence in anexcellent and highly cost effective community serviceprogramme.

Department of Finance languagetrainersIMPACT is concluding discussions to secure contractsof indefinite duration for the majority of trainers.

Valuation OfficeTechnical grades

In November 2008, the union reached agreement withthe Valuation Office on a review of technical grades.The outcome of the review secured the creat ion of twonew posts, and allowed two consequential vacanciesat higher superintendent level to be filled. The agree -ment also secured substantiation of all acting positionswith the technical grades.

Professional grades

After intense negotiations, the union reached anagreement for the full implementation of the Raineyreport. Under the terms of this agreement IMPACT hassecured promotions and contracts of indefinite dur -ation for contract staff. This agreement was necessaryto enable the national revaluation programme to bedelivered within a ten-year timescale.

18


Civil Service No.1 branch

Mobile mastsManagement produced a draft report on mobile mastsearly in 2007, and made amendments to the draftsome months later. These are still unacceptable toIMPACT. The union and management held furtherdiscussions on the issue, and management has nowcirculated a revised draft document which is currentlybeing considered by IMPACT.

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Report 2007-2009

Health and safety

Work life balanceIMPACT helped to establish the Work Life Balance Net -work, which was set up to address policy issues andissues raised by various departments and offices in thework life balance review. The network is now finalisingits report and hopes to make this available early in2009.

Career breaksIn March 2008 management issued a letter to per -sonnel officers about amendments to Circular 18/98covering special leave without pay for career breaks.These amendments addressed the issue of eligibility(paragraph 7) and duration and purpose (paragraph10).

Paragraph 7 now reads: “Subject to what follows,established civil servants, who have satisfac torilycompleted two years continuous service may apply forspecial leave without pay for a career break, providedthey have not reached retiring age. The duration of a

career break may not extend beyond retiring age.(Periods of special leave without pay in accordancewith maternity protection legislation, adoptive andcarers leave and parental leave should not beconsidered to break continuity of service for thispurpose).”

Paragraph 10 now reads: “Eligible staff may, in general,avail of three career breaks in the civil service. A secondand third career break may not be taken until theofficer has served for a period equal to the duration ofthe initial or second career break. The total period ofthe special leave should not exceed ten years in all andno one period of absence should exceed five years. Theperiod of service requirement between career breaksmay be waived at the discretion of the Head ofDepartment in exceptional circumstances.”

Other forms of special leave without pay (other thanperiods of less than six months, such as special leavetaken under Circular 28/91 or short periods of specialleave without pay for study purposes) will, in general,be taken into account when calculating this overalllimit.

Equal opportunities

Parental leaveThe Department of Finance issued a revised circular onparental leave, circular 20/2008, in 2008.

Breastfeeding breaksIn June 2008, the union reached an agreement atgeneral council, allowing for breaks for breastfeedingmothers to be made available until the child hasreached two years of age. The same meeting alsoagreed that the provision of workplace facilities in alloffices, particularly those under the decentralisationprogramme, would be referred to departmentalcouncils in Government departments.

Term-time schemeIn 2007 the union and management agreed that theclosing date for all departments and offices forapplications for term-time leave would be 2ndNovember. The number of applications has gone downfor 2009-2010.

CrèchesThere are now six crèches in operation under the civilservice childcare initiative. They are at Mount Street,Dublin; Marlborough Street, Dublin; Backweston;Athlone; Sligo and Ennis.

Nurture Childcare and Early Learning Centre havetaken over the running of Ennis, Mount Street, andMarlborough Street, following a tendering process.This operator will also run the new crèche at Mahon inCork, which is due to open in January 2009. TheDepartment of Finance conducted a value for moneyreview and the findings were published on thedepartment’s website in November 2008. The CivilService Childcare Initiative Board agreed to a 4%increase in fees for 2009.

Currently, this board operates the initiative on behalf ofthe Minister for Finance. From the 1st January 2009 thedepartment has decided to transfer responsibility forthe building and maintenance programme for the civilservice crèches to the Office of Public Works. TheDepartment of Finance will continue to retain respon -sibility for policy matters relating to existing crèches,including the allocation of licences to operators to runthe crèches, and will continue to have an overallsupervisory role in relation to the crèches, which willinclude monitoring the standard of service providedby the operators.

DisabilitiesDisability liaison officers were presented with the codeof practice in February this year, and it was proposedthat partnership steering committees should have thecode as a regular item on their agenda. The work place -ment project (WAM) continued in 2008 and wasfunded by Fás. The project had been EU-funded inprevious years. The project aims to provide placementsfor graduates with disabilities. There were 16 successfulcandidates in 2008. The union continued to monitorthe number of employees with disabilities during theyear. Some departments are still not meeting the 3%target.

The Disabilities Network continues to meet regularlyand new disability liaison officers have been trained. Anew website www.disabilities.gov.ie is to go liveshortly.

20


21

Report 2007-2009

Appendices

General Service Grades Figures current 1st September 2008 unless otherwiseindicated

Secretary General221,929

Deputy Secretary177,547

Assistant Secretary131,748 - 137,737 - 144,225 - 150,712

Principal (higher)92,730 - 96,555 - 100,392 - 104,217 - 107,485 -110,9281 - 114,3662

Principal86,168 - 89,819 - 93,449 - 97,109 - 100,191 - 103,3891 -106,5822

Assistant Principal (higher)72,681 - 75,448 - 78,226 - 80,989 - 83,760 - 85,375 -88,1351 - 90,8842

Assistant Principal66,179 - 68,656 - 71,132 - 73,609 - 76,087 - 77,520 -80,0161 - 82,5202

AO Standard Scale33,372 - 36,400 - 40,275 - 43,226 - 46,176 - 49,137 -52,086 - 55,030 - 57,0621 - 59,0972

AO Higher Scale43,226 - 46,176 - 49,137 - 52,086 - 55,030 - 57,062 -59,072 - 61,082

HEO Standard Scale46,558 - 47,973 - 49,379 - 50,789 - 52,200 - 53,618 -55,030 - 57,0621 - 59,0972

HEO Higher Scale49,379 - 50,789 - 52,200 - 53,618 - 55,030 - 57,062 -58,396 - 59,737 - 61,082

EO Standard Scale30,566 - 32,804 - 34,518 - 36,183 - 37,837 - 39,456 -41,092 - 42,684 - 44,323 - 45,416 - 46,9591 - 48,5042

EO Higher Scale30,566 - 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

Civil Service General Grades (Full PRSI) Revised pay with effect from 1st September 2008 forestablished officers appointed on or after 6th April 1995paying the Class A rate of PRSI contribution and making anemployee contribution in respect of personalsuperannuation benefits for General Service Grades.

Secretary General233,610

Deputy Secretary186,891

Assistant Secretary138,683 - 144,986 - 151,816 - 158,644

Principal (higher)97,617 - 101,636 - 105,675 - 109,705 - 113,141 -116,7601 - 120,3822

Principal90,702 - 94,550 - 98,370 - 102,218 - 105,463 - 108,8291

- 112,1912

Assistant Principal (higher)76,510 - 79,421 - 82,338 - 85,253 - 88,169 - 89,872 -92,7651 - 95,6652

Assistant Principal69,659 - 72,268 - 74,871 - 77,483 - 80,090 - 81,593 -84,2251 - 86,8652

AO Standard Scale35,132 - 38,318 - 42,397 - 45,501 - 48,607 - 51,722 -54,828 - 57,923 - 60,0691 - 62,2102

22


Appendix one – salary scales

1 = After three years satisfactory service at the maximum.2 = After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.

AO Higher Scale45,501 - 48,607 - 51,722 - 54,828 - 57,923 - 60,069 -62,181 - 64,296

HEO Standard Scale49,007 - 50,495 - 51,980 - 53,464 - 54,952 - 56,438 -57,923 - 60,0691 - 62,2102

HEO Higher Scale51,980 - 53,464 - 54,952 - 56,438 - 57,923 - 60,069 -61,475 - 62,884 - 64,296

EO Standard Scale32,179 - 34,527 - 36,335 - 38,083 - 39,825 - 41,531 -43,254 - 44,931 - 46,658 - 47,802 - 49,4301 - 51,0542

EO Higher Scale32,179 - 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

Common Grades Engineer Grade I and Professional AccountantGrade I69,727 - 72,910 - 74,106 - 76,299 - 78,483 - 81,084 -84,0511 - 87,0162

Engineer Grade II and Professional AccountantGrade II59,582 - 60,989 - 62,385 - 63,791 - 65,193 - 66,596 -67,993 - 69,412 - 71,7231 - 74,0362

Engineer Grade III and Professional AccountantGrade III32,419 - 35,434 - 38,462 - 41,483 - 44,516 - 46,388 -48,256 - 50,127 - 51,898 - 53,860 - 55,729 - 57,597 -59,467 - 61,5521 - 63,6262

Law Clerk (per week)512.18 - 535.03 - 571.68 - 590.73 - 609.79 - 628.84 -647.93 - 667.02 - 686.15 - 705.831 - 725.462

Engineering Draughtsperson (per week)556.34 - 577.41 - 598.55 - 619.72 - 640.93 - 662.22 -683.60 - 704.05 - 724.49 - 744.94 - 765.44 - 791.461 -817.522

Chief Superintendent Mapping48,703 - 51,063 - 53,428 - 55,790 - 58,152 - 60,510 -62,880 - 65,248 - 67,330 - 69,412 - 71,7231 - 74,0362

Superintendent Mapping43,027 - 44,576 - 45,875 - 47,151 - 48,449 - 49,744 -51,016 - 52,6241 - 54,2292

Examiner in Charge37,120 - 37,960 - 38,790 - 39,630 - 40,474 - 41,319 -43,027 - 44,3831 - 45,7412

Examiner of Maps (per week)636.84 - 655.31 - 673.07 - 689.96 - 707.53 - 720.52 -745.351 - 770.212

Mapping Draughtsperson (per week)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 - 667.631 - 689.582

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 - 791.461 -817.522

Laboratory Analyst34,627 - 35,655 - 36,634 - 38,951 - 40,450 - 41,959 -43,498 - 45,034 - 46,571 - 48,124 - 49,685 - 51,268 -52,802 - 53,8601

Common Grades (Full PRSI) Revised pay with effect from 1st September 2008 forestablished officers appointed on or after 6st April 1995paying the Class A rate of PRSI contribution and making anemployee contribution in respect of personalsuperannuation benefits for General Service Grades.

Engineer Grade I and Professional AccountantGrade I73,392 - 75,696 - 78,007 - 80,312 - 82,615 - 85,354 -88,4731 - 91,5942

Engineer Grade II and Professional AccountantGrade II62,719 - 64,197 - 65,669 - 67,148 - 68,624 - 70,100 -71,573 - 73,067 - 75,4981 - 77,9362

Engineer Grade III and Professional AccountantGrade III34,126 - 37,302 - 40,486 - 43,673 - 46,861 - 48,827 -50,790 - 52,763 - 54,727 - 56,695 - 58,663 - 60,627 -62,601 - 64,7901 - 66,9742

23

Report 2007-2009


Law Clerk (per week)539.16 - 563.21 - 601.76 - 621.80 - 641.89 - 661.95 -682.04 - 702.08 - 722.22 - 742.951 - 763.632

Senior Engineering Draughtsperson40,758 - 41,574 - 42,596 - 43,632 - 44,661 - 45,697 -46,669 - 48,2481 - 49,8412

Engineering Draughtsperson (per week)585.66 - 607.78 - 630.05 - 652.31 - 674.67 - 697.12 -719.59 - 741.09 - 762.61 - 784.13 - 805.72 - 833.131 -860.582

Chief Superintendent Mapping51,259 - 53,750 - 56,241 - 58,724 - 61,215 - 63,698 -66,187 - 68,681 - 70,874 - 73,067 - 75,4981 - 77,9362

Superintendent Mapping45,288 - 46,922 - 48,284 - 49,633 - 50,998 - 52,364 -53,696 - 55,3941 - 57,0812

Examiner in Charge39,078 - 39,959 - 40,828 - 41,718 - 42,600 - 43,493 -45,288 - 46,7141 - 48,1532

Examiner of Maps (per week)670.38 - 689.81 - 708.51 - 725.94 - 744.77 - 758.48 -748.561 - 810.692

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 - 702.751 - 725.912

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 - 833.131 -860.582

Laboratory Analyst36,446 - 37,530 - 38,562 - 41,002 - 42,579 - 44,167 -45,788 - 47,403 - 49,023 - 50,656 - 52,304 - 53,968 -55,581 - 56,6961

Department of AgricultureArea Superintendent53,047 - 54,808 - 56,576 - 58,339 - 60,107 - 61,877 -63,640 - 65,8671 - 68,0962

District Superintendent37,085 - 40,003 - 42,911 - 45,792 - 48,690 - 51,587 -54,474 - 57,369 - 59,4941 - 61,6162

Supervisory Agricultural Officer35,987 - 37,755 - 39,510 - 41,241 - 42,989 - 44,736 -46,469 - 48,202 - 49,930 - 51,7741 - 53,6242

Technical Agricultural Officer24,340 - 25,737 - 27,143 - 28,550 - 29,959 - 31,375 -32,785 - 34,206 - 35,639 - 37,062 - 38,495 - 39,881 -41,752 - 43,1691 - 44,5862

Senior Dairy Produce Officer44,516 - 46,388 - 48,256 - 50,127 - 51,989 - 53,860 -55,729 - 57,597 - 59,467 - 61,5521 - 63,6262

Dairy Produce Officer43,500 - 44,674 - 46,012 - 47,344 - 48,683 - 50,023 -51,363 - 52,696 - 54,027 - 55,9171 - 57,8042

24



25

Report 2007-2009

Motor travel ratesEffective from 5th March 2009

Rates per kilometre1mile = 1.609 kilometresOfficial travel in Engine capacity Engine capacity Engine capacitya calendar year up to 1,200cc 1,201cc to 1,500cc 1,501cc and over

cent cent centup to 6,437km 39.12 46.25 59.076,438km and over 21.22 23.62 28.46

Rates per mileOfficial travel in Engine capacity Engine capacity Engine capacitya calendar year up to 1,200cc 1,201cc to 1,500cc 1,501cc and over

cent cent centup to 4,000 miles 62.94 74.42 95.054,001 miles and over 34.13 38.00 45.79

Reduced travel rates Effective from 5th March 2009

Rates per kilometre1mile = 1.609 kilometresEngine capacity Engine capacity Engine capacityunder 1200cc 1201cc to 1500cc 1501cc and overcent cent cent14.64 16.64 19.49

Rates per mileEngine capacity Engine capacity Engine capacityunder 1200cc 1201cc to 1500cc 1501cc and over

cent cent cent23.55 26.76 31.36

Domestic subsistence rates Effective 5th March 2009Class of Allowances Night Allowances Day Allowances

Normal Reduced Detention 10 hrs or 5 hrs but lessRate Rate Rate more than 10 hrs

A 108.99 100.48 54.48 33.61 13.71B 107.69 92.11 53.87 33.61 13.71

Appendix two –travel and subsistence rates

AHCPSSeeking an ‘urban weighting allowance’ for staffworking in urban areas.

Staff panelSeeking incremental credit in respect of service in ahigher grade and subsequent promotion where thehigher grade service is not continuous.

Staff panelSeeking the addition of three extra days annual leaveentitlement for all staff operating on a 24 hour seven-day shift.

IMPACTSeeking a restoration of shift payments to all gradesrepresented by IMPACT in the Irish Coastguard.

Staff panelThat the sick leave regulations for established civilservants be amended in the case of staff who havelong service and a good sick leave record so that theperiod of sick leave on full pay be increased to 12months in the case of serious illness. Also that the limitof 56 days sick leave in four years in respect ofeligibility for promotion be increased to 112 days in thecase of such staff.

PSEUThat the Annual Leave Allowances of the ExecutiveOfficer grade be increased by 3 days.

PSEUThat in future interdepartmental competition for PSEUgrades, the position is determined by the candidate’stotal score.

CPSUTo introduce a higher scale payment for staff officers.

Staff panelSeeking an increase in CMO resources available tospeed up the review of cases referred for assessment.

Staff panelFor all officers in departments to be provided with userfriendly and compact booklets explaining the oblig -ations, restrictions, rights and entitlements underdepartmental internet and e-mail policies.

Staff panelTo provide eye tests for all officers on a biennial basis.

Staff panelSeeking to commence overtime from 16.30 hoursrather than “normal closing time” (Agreed Report978/1983- Flexible Working Hours) which is generallyinterpreted to mean 17.30 hours.

26


Appendix three –Claims lodged at generalcouncil 2008

27

Report 2007-2009

Staff panelThat a report be compiled on the implementation ofthe agreements listed at 1 and 2 in each Department.That a Finance circular setting out the terms of theagreements be issued, and that discussions take placein respect of item 3.

1. Agreement on telework.

2. Agreement on stress in the workplace.

3. Agreement on harassment and violence at work.

Staff panelSeeking to have career breaks for the purpose of selfemployment extended from three years to five years.

Staff panelThat overtime payments will be calculable forsuperannuation purposes.

Staff panelThat a compensation package be put in place for thosecivil servants transferring to decentralised locationsunder the current decentralised programme who nowfind themselves in a “negative equity” position withtheir family homes.

Staff panelTo recognise service with all public sector bodiesincluding commercial semi-state companies such asCIE, Aer Lingus, ESB and RTE etc. for the purposes ofincremental credit.

Staff panelTo increase CO annual leave on appointment to 22days per year and further increasing CO and SO gradesby 1 day after every three years of service, subject tothe maximum leave entitlement available to thegeneral service grades.

Staff panelThat the pension scheme be amended to remove theanomalies that mean staff that transfer within thepublic sector are incurring additional costs.

Staff panelThat removal expenses continue to be paid in circum -stances where a civil servant applies to be included ona central transfer list.

Staff panelThat two further long service increments for AP and POgrades be awarded. In addition the period of eligibleservice for both the existing and new long serviceincrements are reduced from three to two years.

Staff panelThat a scheme of retirement with immediate paymentof full superannuation benefits be introduced for thosestaff who are under 60 years of age and who have 40years service.

Staff panelThat standard mileage allowances and time off in lieube paid for the extra time spent traveling each day forstaff who are required to undertake additional travel inown transport to and from work in a temporarydecentralisation location as a result of the failure of adepartment to secure permanent accommodation inthe official decentralised location by the date set out inofficial decentralisation plans.

No Title1495 Seeking to have the number of days

compassionate leave increased to 10 dayson the death of a parent, spouse or child andthe definition of immediate relative exten -ded to include aunt, uncle, nephew, niece,first cousins, sister / brother in-law. Outcomerecorded: agreement (Note that no increasein the period of bereavement is being given)

1496 Seeking to return to a position where work-sharers are to be allowed some discretion asthe method of payment they receive forpublic holidays. Outcome recorded:disagreement

1497 Seeking the introduction of condensedworking hours for staff. Outcome recorded:disagreement

1498 Seeking to have the current flexi carryover of11.5 hours per flexi period extended to 14hours per flexi period in the Civil Service.Outcome recorded: disagreement

1499 Seeking to have the starting of flexitimebandwidth from 08.00 to 07.30 withimmediate effect. Outcome recorded:disagreement

1500 Seeking the introduction of a new workpattern from 07.00 to 14.00. Outcomerecorded: agreement

1501 Seeking a review of the core hours of thework-sharing scheme pattern of 09.00 to15.00 to be changed to 09.00 to 14.45.Outcome recorded: agreement

1502 Seeking to condense the number of pointson the incremental scales of professionaland technical grades. Outcome recorded:disagreement

No Title1503 That the existing pay on promotion circulars

be amended so that civil servants are treatedno less favourably than non-civil servantswhen being promoted on foot of an opencompetition. Outcome recorded: disagree -ment

1504 That the motor mileage rates be reviewedwith effect from 1st July 2008 on the basis ofthe agreed formula. Outcome recorded:agreement

1505 That the home subsistence rates be re -viewed and any changes applied with effectfrom 1st July 2008 on the basis of the agreedformula. Outcome recorded: agree ment

1506 That breaks for breastfeeding mothers bemade available for the first 12 months aftergiving birth and that workplace facilities beprovided in all offices, particularly officesunder the decentralisation programme, forbreastfeeding mothers. Outcome recorded:agreement

1507 Seeking incremental credit in respect ofservice in a higher grade and subsequentpromotion where the higher grade service isnot continuous. Outcome recorded: disa -gree ment

1508 Seeking an ‘urban weighting allowance’ forstaff working in urban areas. Outcomerecorded: disagreement

1509 To permit to carry forward, without con -ditions or restrictions, of up to five daysannual leave at the end of a leave year.Outcome recorded: disagreement

28


Appendix four –Agreed reports in 2008

No Title1510 Seeking the addition of three extra days

annual leave for all staff who are operatingon a 24-hour seven day week shift. Outcomerecorded: disagreement

1511 To grade the post of Deputy Chief AppealsOfficer (DCAO) Department of Social andFamily Affairs, at PO level. Outcomerecorded: disagreement

1512 Seeking to have the existing full sick leavepay provision extended, from six months totwelve months, where the medical conditioninvolves ongoing oncology care. Outcomerecorded: disagreement

1513 That certificates from accredited para -medical staff, such as those issued by physio -therapists and chiropractors, be regarded asequivalent to certification by a doctor for thepurposes of sick leave regulations. Outcomerecorded: disa gree ment

1514 That the sick leave regulations for estab -lished civil servants be amended in the caseof staff who have long service and a goodsick leave record so that the period of sickleave on full pay be increased to 12 monthsin the case of serious illness. Also, that thelimit of 56 days sick leave in four years inrespect of eligibility for promotion beincreased to 112 days in the case of such staff. Outcome recorded: disagreement

No Title1515 That in all future interdepartmental com -

petitions for appointment to higher exec -utive officer and assistant principal, positionis determined by the candidate’s total score.Outcome recorded: disagree ment

1516 To provide eye tests for all officers on abiennial basis. Outcome recorded: disa -greement

1517 This report has not yet been signed off.

1518 That the arrangements governing specialleave with pay be amended in order topermit such leave for staff obliged toaccompany dependent relatives to medicalappointments. Outcome recorded: disa -greement

29

Report 2007-2009

� Continued payment of an allowance to conser -vation rangers. The adjudicator findings were infavour of management.

� To upgrade the chief clerks in the Circuit Courtoffices to AP (standard scale). The adjudicatorfindings were that an annual allowance in thenature of pay be conceded, and such allowance tobe set at €3,300 (officers appointed pre 6th April,1995) and €3,474 (officers appointed post 6thApril, 1995). The allowance to take effect from 1stMarch, 2008.

� Co-operation with the introduction of all modern -isation and flexibility initiatives. This was an ad-hochearing, the adjudicator findings were in favour ofmanagement.

30


Appendix five –Adjudication hearings held in 2008

Report 2007-2009

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Civil Servcie Divisional Report 07-09

Documents

Transcript of Civil Servcie Divisional Report 07-09