To:     Each Branch Secretary – Attention All Members
Date: 22nd July 2016
News Update: 011/16

Dear Colleague

Please circulate this News Update to all members

Pay Determination Mechanism (Lansdowne Road Agreement)
The Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) provides for the public service unions and Government to engage on the establishment of a Pay Determination Mechanism. We  will be seeking that any such mechanism will unwind the remaining elements of FEMPI, address the additional unpaid hours, and ensure a progressive improvement in the pay and conditions of lower paid workers in the civil and public services. The new Government has just announced its commitment to establish such a body in line with the commitments in the LRA. The Officers of the ICTU Public Services Committee (PSC) recently met with the new DPER Minister, Pascal Donohue for initial discussions on the initiative. The PSC Officers reported yesterday to the wider negotiating group on developments.  The PSC and its affiliated unions (including the CPSU) will now participate in the open consultation process of how the body should be constituted and what the extent of its remit should be. Critically the Officers of the PSC are confident from the meeting with DPER that the setting of pay and conditions now and in the future will remain the preserve of collective bargaining between unions and Government. Statements issued by the Minister and the ICTU PSC are attached.

The CPSU Executive Committee has its own Pay & Conditions Sub-Committee which is currently considering how best to progress the interests of members as we continue to seek to end FEMPI cuts for all our members and reverse the unpaid hours and new entry points to the CO grade. The union will engage fully with the PSC and DPER on these matters in the coming months.

Eoin Ronayne
General Secretary

STATEMENT FROM ICTU PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE

Chair and composition of Public Service Pay Commission crucial to its credibility, say public service unions

The following statement was issued by the ICTU Public Services Committee today (Tuesday) after the Cabinet approved the establishment of a Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC).

“The Public Services Committee (PSC) of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is ready to engage with Minister Paschal Donohoe and his officials on the terms of reference of the proposed Public Services Pay Commission. Following earlier discussions with Minister Donohoe and his officials, we believe that the Commission has the potential to assist in both the unwinding of the FEMPI (Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) legislation, and in addressing other outstanding issues of concern to public servants.

The credibility of the proposed Commission, in the eyes of public employees and others, will depend on it being chaired by a highly qualified and fully independent expert with a deep understanding of public service pay determination and related issues, including from an employee perspective.

Similarly, its membership will have to be balanced and appropriately weighted to properly reflect all issues outlined in the terms of reference. Among other things, this will require an adequate number of members with a trade union background and experience of public service remuneration and related matters.

The PSC understands that the PSPC will not replace direct pay negotiations between the Government and public service unions. This welcome assurance reflects the position put to the PSC in various engagements with Minister Donohoe and his officials.

The PSC also understands that any international pay comparisons made by the Commission will take account of the cost of living in the jurisdictions examined. This is also welcome.

We understand that trade unions and others will be invited to make submissions to the Commission, and that its findings and evidence will be published, and we will engage in the process on this basis.”