AGSI attend Conciliation Council on disagreement around Garda Roster, and call for a 12-month extension to the current roster
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) has this morning heavily criticised Garda Commissioner Drew Harris for placing the matter of the proposed new Garda Roster into dispute, stating, “we believe there is still scope to resolve the matter through consultation.”
In November AGSI members overwhelmingly rejected the proposed new Garda Roster citing work-life balance issues, and a requirement to work up to an additional 47 days per year, for some members.
Speaking following the meeting, General Secretary, Antoinette Cunningham stated that they had previously written to, and spoken with the Garda Commissioner and appealed to him to reconvene the Westmanstown Rosters forum to try and resolve the matter.
“We believe there is scope to resolve this matter through dialogue. However, this morning the Garda Commissioner placed the matter of Rosters into formal dispute something that the AGSI feel is unnecessary and inappropriate at this time given the many challenges facing the Garda organisation in the short term.
“The last thing that AGSI needs at this time is a dispute with the Garda Commissioner given that COVID-19 is again highly prevalent and coupled with this, the organisation is currently experiencing serious recruitment and retention issue with falling Garda numbers.”
Ms. Cunningham expressed the Association’s deep disappointment with the Garda Commissioner’s stance on the matter and said members have been working in a state of uncertainty since March 2020 when they began policing an emergency COVID-19 Roster.
“This uncertainty around members’ working conditions is having a severe effect on morale, we are in a constant state of uncertainty around working hours, it is unfair and wrong with little consideration for members’ work-life balance. We are now calling on the Garda Commissioner to extend the current Roster working arrangements for a minimum period of 12 months to provide some predictability to AGSI members. In any other organisation, this uncertainty around working conditions would not be tolerated.”
The Association has said it will meet next week to consider the impact of the Commissioner’s commencement of this dispute and the impact of same on its membership given its unprecedented nature of it.
