Representative Association of Commissioned Officers voices concerns about exclusion from Reported Public Sector Pay Talks
The Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) has voiced concerns regarding reports in the media about apparent exploratory talks on a successor to the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020.
RACO said, “It appears that uniformed services will once more have to wait until those unions with industrial action in their armour have concluded pre talk negotiations with DPER before being informed of any agreed parameters.”
RACO General Secretary Conor King said “this appears to be completely at odds with the stated aim of ‘parity of esteem’ for all stakeholders. Front line uniformed services such as Defence Forces and Gardai are being denied the opportunity to shape the negotiations, but based on past experience, will presumably have the gun put to our heads in a ‘take it or leave it’ scenario when pay talks commence and conclude.”
The Department of Defence has informed RACO that it is unaware of the content of these exploratory talks.
RACO concluded, “Our members are disappointed and deeply concerned that having been guaranteed that Defence Forces representative associations would have a strong voice at the negotiating table, exploratory talks are now happening without our involvement.”