Garda Representative Association's vote of no confidence in Commissioner Harris

Bits of that sound very familiar/similar to a job I used to do...

A similar group of ...(well I don't know how to describe them - people with bees in their bonnets that couldn't acknowledge a single counterpoint regardless of validity from people actually working the job) let's call them delusional ideologues/zealots/axe grinders liked to spew vitriol, lies and blatant misrepresentations and ignore anything that might contradict their precious grudges.

When they were proven incorrect beyond a shadow of a doubt they usually slunk off for a while before returning days later to do a bit more axe grinding.

As you say, best to get on with life and leave them to tend to their axes and shoulder chips...

So if Drew Harris isn’t correct in what he’s about to do with the rosters, what exactly is the correct route because the current system is not effective either.

We need patrol units and paperwork units then. Stick all the 6ft plus lads and gals that can handle themselves on the beat and put the short pudgy lads and gals behind the desks. Job done.

Eh it’s not- every conceivable crime figure is shooting northwards so don’t tell me everything is fine because it’s not fine -

Correct. A foreign cop said that to me recently when he was here on holidays, he could not help notice it.

Correct. If the Gardai want to continue working the reduced hours as a result of Covid, they should take a proportional pay AND pension cut.

Someone tell them Covid is over.

Well, as someone else said, most of the middle age ones may have retired and be playing golf from their villas in Portugal, but in some areas there are some "not young" ones left.

Possibly , im not sure it would be an improvement as its the same standard cars , It wasn't a EV car by any chance , i m told there is a few with the few remaining complo units

Interesting quote in Saturdays Irish Times- in the context of Harris’s management style, and his mandate from the government to reform the organisation, and his belief that in the past there was light touch discipline and management fudges, “He doesn’t believe management is a democracy” .

Also in the article, there’s reference to the association of Garda sergeants and inspectors and Garda Superintendents associations that they don’t see Harris in the same light as GRA.

There are no doubt issues here but it’s actually unclear what those specific issues are and to what degree any one issue is causing the level of resentment - is it more robust discipline procedures and action, resentment of an outsider coming in, rostering, equipment, etc etc Each one of those has a different reaction and response - they’re not all intertwined by any means.

Its obvious things overall in AGS could be improved - but Harris is tasked with Garda reform which is never pleasant in any organisation which has been allowed to self govern so secretly for so long , so unless someone can tell me the big issue here, it sounds like it’s more about organisational change in general, where many feel loss of control or the way things were.

It’s a natural part of such change and understandable that as we await the transformation to the new, people will naturally feel somewhat alienated and fearful. Harris has achieved some successes since commencing his role- he might need to improve his communication style and maybe his empathy, explaining more the “why” of his decisions, but what’s not in dispute is that AGS does need reform- and that’s never a pleasant experience.

Did you ever consider this lucrative career might have been for you at any time ?

So many I'll informed posts especially about old roster, current roster and pensions.

The roster that's being reverted to in November is the old 6 X 10hr shifts and 4 days off as opposed to the current 4 X 12hr and 4 days off.

The old 6 and 4 was never an agreed roster, it was supposed to be a trial one but management never bothered to make a decision on it and it remained for 8 years!

The commissioner's own plan was to have the 'regular' units and some other units like traffic working 4 on and 4 off (12hr) but he wanted the likes of detectives and community working frequently changing rosters varying from 6 on 3 off to 8 on 2 off and 7 on 2 off.

The 'regular' weren't willing to throw the other units under the bus to keep their preferred roster and now, out of spite, the commissioner is bombing along to the old roster as a 'f**K you' to his underlings.

The golden pensions are long gone since 2013

My pension will be **** if I make it 30 years which is why I need to pay into an AVC to supplement it otherwise I'd be f**ked when I retire.

Not really sure why im bothering given some of the uninformed vitriol being spouted.

The vote was never just about the roster. It's about the roster, recruitment, retention, pensions, training, safety, equipment, etc... all the stuff we have tried to get through to management who simply aren't willing to listen. The rosters are the straw that's broke the back because for once management managed to stumble into a scenario that actually had Gardai some bit happy and are determined to remove even that.

It's always the people who wouldn't dream of doing the job who are quickest to say what a great job we have 🙄

promote that man immediately (or woman)