Garda body calls process 'illusionary'

Reaction:Security workers across the public service have not been awarded any pay increases by the benchmarking body. It concluded the workers' earnings and pensions compare favourably with similar-sized private sector jobs.

Bodies representing gardaí, prison officers and Defence Forces personnel have strongly criticised the lack of any pay increase, saying their members do dangerous jobs for which there is no comparator in the private sector.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA), which has more than 10,000 members, said the benchmarking process was an "illusionary exercise" used to maintain industrial relations harmony, as politicians and others "awarded themselves exorbitant pay increases".

GRA general secretary PJ Stone said his members would no longer tolerate being excluded from talks on the formulation of national wage agreements.

He said the benchmarking body had failed to grasp the extent of the change in work practices of late in the force.

Nor did the process take into account the increased dangers faced by his members.

"There is a real increase in the risk of major injury and even death. One of our members was shot on the streets less than three months ago and others have been stabbed since then."

In its report the benchmarking body said it had received submissions from the GRA in relation to the increased responsibilities of its members following the introduction of the Garda Reserve.

However, it said because the reserve was not in place at the time that it evaluated the role and remuneration of gardaí, it could not have taken the reserve into account in determining any possible pay increases for full-time members.

It said the effect of the reserve on full-time members could be taken into account "in any future evaluation exercise by reference to the private sector".

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said the benchmarking process had now "lost all credibility".

Association general secretary Joe Dirwan echoed the GRA's view in relation to changing work practices in the force.

He added there had only been a brief mention of the force in the benchmarking report. He believed this had "downgraded the Garda".

He said the increased levels of violence faced by his members had been ignored.

"We are extremely annoyed at this, particularly as in our oral submissions the body had indicated that it accepted our points on this matter," he said.

PDforra, the body representing rank and file members of the Defence Forces, said it was both unhappy with the lack of a pay rise for its members, and with the process followed by the benchmarking body.

General secretary Gerry Rooney said it was unfair of the body to compare the work of soldiers with those in the private sector.

Many PDforra members were deployed overseas on dangerous missions. "It failed to take into account the unique nature of military service," he said.

The Prison Officers' Association was also unhappy with the lack of any award for its members who have also seen significant changes to their work practices in recent years. The benchmarking body noted prison officers had already received additional allowances for new work practices.