Gardai ''mass resignations''

carzony

Just read this, First I've heard of the mass resignations:

RANK-and-file gardai are considering mass resignations as a key campaign strategy to fight proposed Government pay cuts.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) is now focused on a two-pronged campaign against any pay cuts in the Croke Park II proposals.

These revolve around a Blue Flu II work-to-rule protest and the option of mass resignations.

For weeks, GRA officials had been thought likely to sanction an expanded programme of work-to-rule protests culminating in a Blue Flu campaign.

This would mean gardai using sick leave to exert pressure for pay concessions.

However, there has been increasing support for a more radical and high risk strategy involving mass resignations.

The latter was adopted from a highly successful pay campaign in Scandinavia by nurses.

Medical personnel there used a programme of mass resignations to force pay concessions, as ministers and health managers were faced with hospitals and clinics without staff.

However, some GRA strategists are worried that this is a high-risk gamble.

One senior GRA official pointed out that the concern is the Government may actually accept specific resignations and decline others. Under an escalating work-to-rule campaign, gardai have proposed to:

• Refuse to volunteer for duty at major GAA, soccer and rugby matches.
  
• Refuse to undertake non-core duties for The Gathering.
  
• Ban the use of all personal cars, mobile phones and equipment in the course of normal duties.
  
• Restrict response to 'civil remedy' calls such as noisy parties, traffic accidents that do not involve an injury etc.

Last week the annual conference of the GRA heard that gardai are often taking leave because they have simply run out of cash and can't afford fuel.

GRA president John Parker explained that when gardai do turn up for work they are faced with crippling cutbacks.

Link

Nino Brown

Gardai make decent salaries, if they're running out of fuel it's because they can't manage personal finances, not because of any government cuts.

I think its a risky strategy, if they offer mass resignations, it would tempting for the government, to accept, let the guys on high salaries go, higher more new gardai for less money (there's plenty who'd jump at the job), and be able to say that they are increasing garda numbers, which would be good publicity.

dartup

will never happen

http://www.nospinireland.com/Gardai.html

Oranage2

Not a chance this will happen, the higher paid gardai with actual skills will certainly not be putting their names forward, and if your local tesco worker can afford to drive to work then so can gardai.

Really makes AGS look like a laughing stock.

ArthurG

carzony wrote: »

• Refuse to volunteer for duty at major GAA, soccer and rugby matches.

Dear God, what monsters!

JustAThought

Didnt realise their pay was so low (35-40k) for such a rubbish job ( the hassle & stress). But -radio allowance 5k, change management allowance 6k, clerical allowance 4k , rent allowance...etc. now it's not looking so poor - and of course all index linked, guaranteed for life, state pension etc.

No -I can't see it being taken up on; particularly as they have all the candidates frozen from their embargoed recruitment drive still waiting, not to mention all the volunteer reservists who are working for free for them ever week who no doubt would be ready & waiting.

Shield

Moderator comment:

Lads and ladies, I'm not having this done yet again on this forum only for it to eventually end up being another Garda-bashing thread. I don't believe the OP intended it to be so at the outset, and I feel it important to state that at the outset, but history repeats itself, and it's better to nip this in the bud now.

Garda pay, along with the various allowances that some are eligible to receive, are set by the Government. They don't choose how much money will end up in their bank accounts on payday.

The forum charter is clear: "This forum is for the discussion of emergency services in general". It is not here to discuss, which, without fail, always turns into argue whether they should get allowance X, Y or Z or whether their pay is too high or low. The GRA exist: "to pursue collectively the best interests of all members of Garda Rank, in the areas of Pay, Welfare, Conditions and Services" (Link) but the GRA is not an Emergency Service.

This is a political issue and the place to discuss political issues, such as how much the Government pay the Gardaí, teachers, nurses, etc., is the Politics forum.

@carzony: Please feel free to copy and paste your original post into a new thread in the Politics forum, but don't forget to read their charter which requires you to provide input of your own, and warns: "This forum is not a newsdump".

Thread closed.