GARDA REPRESENTATIVE GROUPS have met with Commissioner Drew Harris after rank and file members declared a proposed new roster as “adverse changes” to their conditions of employment.
Sources have also told The Journal that Cork based members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) have circulated a briefing document which states that the proposal will be automatically rejected.
The document, circulated to members across the country, references a vote which was made at this year’s annual conference which rejected any proposed roster that would include a pay cut.
The Cork delegates told their members that the new roster would see an €8,000 reduction in pay for some gardaí.
This evening a statement was circulated to rank and file gardaí in which the Garda Representative Association said the meeting with the Commissioner was “robust but helpful in nature”.
“It is fair to say that the Commissioner listened to our concerns and agreed to remain in consultation with the Association over the weeks ahead as we attempt to clarify how concerns brought to our attention may be resolved.
“We will now discuss the matters raised at a specially convened meeting of the CEC next Wednesday and will communicate further to all members as soon as it is appropriate to do so,” the statement read.
The Journal contacted the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors – a spokesperson said the group would not be making any comment.
A garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána does not provide comment on its interactions with the representative bodies.”
As previously reported, difficult talks have been ongoing within the force on new rosters that would see response regular units work a four-day shift rotation of twelve-hour shifts each.
Detective gardaí and other “non-core” units such as Community Policing would work more regular office hours of eight-hour shifts.
This has caused significant disquiet among garda members and comes at a time when gardaí are engaged in pay talks.
Sources have said that the main group unhappy with the change in rostering arrangements are members of the force not on response duty – this includes investigators and specialist units.
Talks on the working hours have been taking place in Westmanstown, Dublin. Following the delivery of a proposed new roster in recent days with a new outline of the recommended changes
On Tuesday night the GRA told its members that it had identified issues within the proposal that caused “serious concerns”.
The GRA are set to meet on Wednesday and it is understood that discussions will centre around the need for a ballot of members or a flat out rejection of the proposals in keeping with the previous vote at the annual conference.
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