Garda sergeants and inspectors to undertake day of action due to concerns over proposed roster

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GARDA SERGEANTS AND inspectors will undertake a day of action today due to concerns over a proposed new garda roster.

Garda sergeants and inspectors to undertake day of action due to concerns over proposed roster

At 11am this morning, 100 members of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) will march to Garda Headquarters to deliver a letter to management over the issue.

General Secretary of the AGSI Antoinette Cunningham said: “Today is a clear sign of the frustration, stress and anger that members are feeling in relation to their working arrangements, and in particular, given that this roster has been extended 15 times in three years.”

Cunningham added: “Policing the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to the National Emergency and playing our part in policing during the crisis was a source of great pride to Sergeants and Inspectors.

“But previous commitments given by the Garda Commissioner [Drew Harris] that members would return to their normal work pattern have not been honoured.

“The Commissioner is now trying to impose a Roster without agreement, and this is unacceptable.”

The issue is around so-called “non-core” units which make up specialist gardaí, such as detectives and community policing.

Gardaí affected by the change are unhappy with an arrangement which would see them working for seven straight days before receiving two rest days.

In the new roster, they would work six days on/three days off, then seven days on/two day off and then seven days on/three days off. 

There are also concerns about the possible loss of allowances for working unsociable hours because they would not be expected to perform night duty.

Both garda representative groups, AGSI as well as the Garda Representative Association (GRA) have voted against accepting new working time arrangements for gardaí.

Speaking at the opening of a new garda station on Dublin’s O’Connell Street last week, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the protests are “unnecessary”.

“Roster issues were subjected to examinations now for some three and a half years – we tried hard internally to find a resolution, that wasn’t possible,” said Harris.

“My view is now that it had to move to the external conciliation service, that’s the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission). That’s presently ongoing, and we certainly will be entering the WRC hopeful of finding a conclusion and resolution.

“I would say that the protest itself will be unnecessary given the action being taken and I don’t think it’s particularly helpful when we’re going into the process of the WRC,” he added.

However, the AGSI said it has appealed on “a number of occasions”, as recently as last week, for Harris to engage directly with them on the issue of rosters.

The AGSI added that Harris “is insisting on elevating the matter to the WRC dispute process, which is premature at this time”.

AGSI general secretary Antoinette Cunningham said: “We will continue to advocate on behalf of our members and the National Executive will meet next week to discuss our next steps.”

Meanwhile, the International Council of Police Representative Associations (ICPRA) has issued a statement of support for the AGSI’s day of action.

General Secretary, Calum Steele, said: “The International police union community stands full square with our colleagues in AGSI as they embark on this unprecedented action in protest over their duty rosters.”