Results of Members’ Survey on Pay Restoration Campaign Released

Members, ahead of our General Secretary’s address to conference tomorrow we are releasing the results of our members’ survey on our planned pay restoration campaign. Thank you to the 903 members who completed the survey.AGSI Survey Members on Protest Actions in Pay Restoration Campaign84% of Sergeants and Inspectors say pay is there number one issue 93 per cent of members of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors have called on their representative organisation to take work-to-rule action in respect of their pay restoration claim. AGSI members seen their take-home pay reduced by almost 25% as a result pay cuts and increased taxes since 2008. The ASGI are holding their Annual Delegate Conference in Westport, Co. Mayo and during his address to delegates General Secretary, John Jacob delivered the results of a pre-conference survey of its 2,000-strong membership. The results reveal huge support for a series of protest actions in their campaign for full pay restoration to 2008 levels, access to direct negotiating rights and movement on the review of An Garda Síochána currently being undertaken by Mr. Ray McGee. General Secretary John Jacob stated that his members left him and the National Executive of the AGSI in no doubt that they wanted action. “Our members are extremely angry and disillusioned by the failure of both the previous Government and Garda management to listen to their concerns. Therefore, they have in no uncertain terms mandated us to take action in a planned serious of protests including a work-to-rule, which we will agree at conference. “AGSI is seen as a soft touch by Government because of our restrictions to strike under the Garda Síochána Act, however there are actions that we can take that will hopefully have our concerns taken seriously. As front line managers ands supervisors we at no stage will impact the public in our protest actions. However, we are calling on the public to support us as we strive for a better policing service for all citizens of this state.” Survey Results

• 48% of membership responded: 903 members;
• 84% said pay is the number one industrial relations issue right now;
• 93% expressed support for a work-to-rule for a specific period of time; (specific work-to-rule measures to be agreed);
• 86% expressed support for a national march at Dáil Éireann;
• 70% expressed support for regular pickets at Dáil Éireann increasing in frequency if pay restoration demands are not met;
• 62% expressed support for pickets at local Minister and TD constituency offices;
• 98% said they would support an expression of no confidence in the Garda Review chaired by Ray McGee because of the two-year delay in progressing the matter to date; and
• 96% said they would continue to refuse to co-operate with the Garda Transformation Programme.

 Members Comments “As things stand we will reach 10 years of sustained work practice changes and pay cuts which are continually imposed under different guises. The pay cuts and pension levy were introduced in one go under emergency legislation and it is high time Deputy Howlin was left under no illusion that all these cuts are reversed in one go. The media should not be allowed to continue to blacken us in relation to our pay. The word increase should be challenged each occasion they use it until such a time that all our pay has been restored and we are in a position to actually look for a pay increase.” “Push harder for Union recognition and right to strike.” “Stop all cooperation with Garda management.” “Call for senior management to support the pay campaign.”