AGSI Respond to Minister Noonan’s Intervention on Pay Talks
“The Government and Garda Management are united in cutting pay and allowances despite the Finance Minister’s intervention on the matter suggesting that the Government will compromise.
That’s according to General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI).
“I welcome reported comments by Minister Noonan that there is “nothing categoric” in terms of the €1 billion garda payroll cuts. This is a move in the right direction by government. However we want action on this, not words. An Garda Síochána provides a professional police service and this should be recognised by the Government by removing pay and allowance cuts as proposed for Sergeants and Inspectors.
“It is clear that the official side want to keep staff associations in talks so they can say we negotiated away our safety measures within Croke Park 1. We are being asked to select cuts for our members which are ‘good’ for them. This is a positioned move and we will not allow ourselves be cornered into this strategy.
“AGSI members will not row back on our withdrawal from talks. At the moment there is nothing proposed for Sergeants and Inspectors which can be negotiated even if we talked until 2014.
“We will stand firm against a ‘hoodwinking strategy’ which will make slaves out of our members.
“Remember, senior public servants and senior Garda managers had their annual 10% bonus incorporated into their pay, around ten days before the Garda pay cut in 2009. AGSI members took a 7% pay cut, while Commissioner level in An Garda Síochána took a 2% cut.
“We believe that no talks have taken place since our withdrawal on 25th January as pressure mounts on the official side to keep Unions inside.
“We will fully support any other unions or staff associations that decide to take a stand against austerity measures that impact their members and we look forward to marching with them next Saturday 9th February in Dublin,” concluded John Redmond.
