Pdforra, the Defence Forces staff representative association, has accused senior officers of bullying and harassing its officials to force them out of the representative process.
Speaking at the association's annual conference in Waterford, Pdforra president Willie Webb said representatives were being singled out for "unnecessary attention" at barrack level.
"Certain individuals in positions of authority have taken the view that they will punish, harass and charge our representatives in order to teach them the error of their ways and persuade them from taking part in the representative process." Soldiers who "put their head above the parapet" by becoming Pdforra officials found they were denied career courses and opportunities including overseas service, charges were frequently brought against them, often subsequently dropped, and they were subject to "continuous harassment", Mr Webb said.
The Minister for Defence had issued a directive that members of the forces would not be disadvantaged or discriminated against for carrying out representative duties - however, Mr Webb said, this was being ignored.
Military discipline was being misused to "victimise" Pdforra representatives, the association's general secretary, Gerry Rooney, said. The use of the military discipline system against members precludes them from making complaints of bullying through the standard grievance procedures, which leaves them without any recourse to action if they feel they have been treated unfairly, Mr Rooney said.
The Minister, Willie O'Dea, and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan, must ensure that a process is put in place to deal with the problem "before it gets out of hand", Mr Rooney said.
Meanwhile Mr Rooney said Pdforra would resist any attempts to make overseas service compulsory for existing members of the forces.
Members of the forces had always taken part in overseas missions on a voluntary basis but the new Defence Amendment Act would make overseas service compulsory. Mr Rooney said the Act must not be applied retrospectively.