Council workers begin industrial action in dispute over job evaluation scheme

MEMBERS of the Fórsa trade union working in local authorities across the country are beginning industrial action this Monday.

Notice of the industrial action was served earlier this month with the union saying it's due to the failure of local authority management to engage meaningfully with it on the establishment of a job evaluation scheme for workers in the sector.

Job evaluation assesses if the grade associated with a particular job or role is properly matched to its duties and responsibilities.

Initially, the industrial action will see an indefinite ban on non-statutory political representations from TDs, senators and councillors. This means council workers will not respond to routine queries and requests for information from politicians.

Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers commented: “Management representatives utterly failed to engage meaningfully in resolving this dispute, despite its commitment to do so in a joint referral to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). There was no meaningful or constructive engagement from the employer side at conciliation hearings in July. Consequently, negotiations broke down."

Fórsa has accused the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) of failing the process, and local authority workers and of betraying the good faith of the joint referral to the WRC. 

“There is absolute determination among Fórsa’s membership to secure an appropriate job evaluation scheme in local government, and the action will illustrate that determination. Any attempts to circumvent or undermine the industrial action, or any attempts to intimidate or threaten Fórsa members engaging in this legitimate action, will likely lead to an immediate escalation of the dispute,” added Mr Carrothers.

Fórsa represents more than 12,000 local government and services workers including clerical, administrative, management, technical and professional staff. 

The LGMA says it has consistently advised Fórsa that this issue is broader than the local authority sector and should be dealt with at central level on a public sector wide basis.