Members of the Defence Forces yesterday voted in favour of the right to strike following growing discontent over the outcome of the benchmarking process.
On the second day of the annual delegate conference of the Defence Forces association, PDFORRA, in Ennis yesterday, members voted unanimously to have the Defence Act amended so that PDFORRA members can engage in industrial action.
The move to allow the provisions of the 1990 Industrial Relations Act apply to the Defence Forces follows the unanimous passing of a motion on Wednesday not to recommend acceptance of the benchmarking report, unless a number of issues were addressed.
Through the benchmarking process, the majority of soldiers received a 4 per cent increase, which has been described as "derisory" by members during the two-day conference.
PDFORRA's general secretary, Mr Gerry Rooney, told the conference: "We are not indicating that we will take industrial action but we are seeking this right. An inability to take industrial action is a serious drawback in terms of pay negotiations - we are seriously disadvantaged."
He added: "This entire area is compounded by the fact that we are excluded from ICTU. We have no mechanism whatsoever, whereby our voice can be heard on pay-related issues, including the phasing of the benchmarking report.
"Essentially, we have been asked to support a process from which we have been excluded. This is unfair, unjust and unsustainable in the longer term."
During the debate, a delegate from McKee Barracks in Dublin, who tabled the motion, said: "If we do take action without being covered by the Industrial Relations Act, we are liable to be sued by our employer. With the growing anger over benchmarking and cutbacks in defence spending, it has now come to a stage where we have no option but to seek the right to strike to ensure that members' interests are protected."
Earlier, PDFORRA expressed what it called its "deep concern" that the Government's fiscal policy would have serious implications for the future of the Defence Forces. Members sought assurances from the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, that the Defence Forces would not once again become the soft option when cutbacks were needed.
Mr Rooney said: "We have every right to be concerned about cutbacks. "
