Niall O'Connor

TALKS BETWEEN THE garda commissioner and the Garda Representative Association (GRA) to resolve an industrial relations row have broken down – meaning gardaí will launch a work-to-rule during the EU Presidency summit next week. 

In a missive to members on Thursday night, the GRA said that there was no agreement after discussions with garda management.

It means that while civil servants will be striking on 12 November during the European Political Community meeting in Dublin when the main summit is taking place, gardaí will also be restricting their workplace flexibility.

On 27 October gardaí voted in favour of a work-to-rule in a survey by the GRA. The key issues are around workplace conditions and the alleged abandonment of working time rules during the EU Presidency events. 

For most of the next week gardaí from across the country will be deployed to Dublin and Shannon to manage what is being dubbed as the largest security operation in the history of the State.

In recent days the GRA met with Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly and other senior management to try and find a way through the impasse. The GRA set out a number of issues that needed to be solved, but management were unable to accede to those. 

It is understood that during the talks garda management asked the GRA to reconsider and appealed to them to consider the “national interest”. 

The GRA, sources said, voiced its concerns about the treatment of its members. 

Ronan Slevin, general secretary of the GRA, told members that garda management did not offer adequate resolutions to the dispute. 

“We at the GRA pride ourselves on acting as a solution-based organisation, however, our appetite for resolution has not been matched by Garda Management who so far have refused to formally rectify key issues affecting our membership.

“Unfortunately, we now feel we have exhausted all efforts to resolve this ongoing dispute with just five days remaining until the opening of the key EU Presidency event, beginning next Tuesday, 10 November, and we will now continue with our work to rule,” he said. 

The work-to-rule essentially rests on all gardaí not using their own cars to travel from their own stations to their security operation posts. 

“Members are reminded that they are only required to report to their home station and that it is the responsibility of Garda Management to transfer or transport members to where they are required to perform duty.

“We are extremely cognisant that this may be a new departure and cause inconvenience and even financial penalty, but we respectfully ask members to support this action as this has long-term implications,” Slevin added. 

The GRA added that garda management “continues to erode” the rights of its members “with their continued and intentional breaches of the Working Time Agreement”.

Key elements of this agreement include that there be 11 hours of minimum rest between rostered shifts, including travel time.

The GRA survey asked a number of questions of its members to determine their current position on workplace issues.  

In relation to the first question, on whether GRA members are “so dissatisfied” that they are willing to take part in industrial action, over 94% responded “yes” (with a turnout of 47%).

In relation to the second question, on whether this action would include a work-to-rule position in relation to forthcoming EU presidency events, close to 94% responded “yes” (with a turnout of 45%).

A statement has been requested from An Garda Síochána.