Local GoLocal Govverernment,nment, EducaEducationtionand Local Serand Local Services Divices Divisionvision

THE PUBLIC SECTOR TRADE UNION

CEARDCHUMANN RIALTAS ÁITIÚIL, SHEIRBHÍS PHOIBLÍ AGUS STÁTSEIRBHÍS NA hÉIREANN

Report2003-2005

Report2003-2005

impactLocal Government, Education and

Local Services Division Report

2003-2005

www.impact.ie

Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1

Tel: 01-817-1500 Fax: 01-817-1501/2/3

E-Mail: rnolan@impact.ie

3

Contentspage

Divisional organisation .........................................................................................5

Pay........................................................................................................................5

Performance verification.......................................................................................6

LANPAG ...............................................................................................................7

National partnership forum - institutes of technology ..........................................7

PMDS in vocational education committees .........................................................7

Benchmarking 2 ...................................................................................................8

Fixed-term contracts.............................................................................................8

Fire services .........................................................................................................8

Pollution officers ...................................................................................................8

National Education Welfare Board.......................................................................8

School secretaries................................................................................................9

Institutes of technology.........................................................................................9

Local authority library grades ...............................................................................9

Contracts of employment - local authorities.........................................................9

Public-private partnerships...................................................................................9

Civil defence officers ..........................................................................................10

Community enterprise and development officers ..............................................10

Pensions.............................................................................................................10

Divisional executive training...............................................................................10

Appendix one - Salary scales ............................................................................13

Appendix two - Travel and subsistence .............................................................15

Appendix three - Vocational groups...................................................................16

5

Review 2003-2005Divisional Organisation

The following were elected to IMPACT's Local Government, Education and LocalServices divisional executive committee at the 2003 divisional conference: MichaelMcCabe (Cathaoirleach), Pat Considine (Leas Cathaoirleach), Joe Sherlock (thirddivisional representative on IMPACT's Central Executive Committee), Tom Browne,Frank Brannigan, Caroline Degraeve Kane, Martin Flanagan, Paul Foley, Ray Kennedy,Michael McGinty, Kevin O' Malley, and Dearbhla O' Reilly. Michael McGinty was electedas IMPACT's senior vice president at the union's 2004 biennial delegate conference.

Pay

IMPACT members gave a massive endorsement to the Sustaining Progress national dealin March 2003, when they backed it by 9-1 in a national ballot. It entitled all workers topay increases worth a total of seven per cent in the first 18 months of the agreement. In2004, further cost-of-living increases, worth 5.5 per cent to workers earning more than�351 a week and six per cent to those earning less, were negotiated for the second halfof the three-year deal, which runs until June 2006.

As part of Sustaining Progress, the Government also agreed to fully implement therecommendations of the Public Service Benchmarking Body, which delivered additionalaverage pay increases of 8.9 per cent. Three-quarters of the benchmarking awards havenow been sanctioned and the final quarter is due in June 2005. Overall SustainingProgress delivered cost of living increases of over 13 per cent, plus benchmarkingpayments worth an average of 8.9 per cent, over a three-year period.

Sustaining Progress pay increases (excluding benchmarking)

1st January 2004 3%1st July 2004 2%1st December 2004 2%1st June 2005 1.5% (2% for low paid)1st December 2005 1.5%1st June 2006 2.5% TOTAL 12.5% (13% for low paid)Cumulative total 13.16% (13.72% for low paid)

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Performance verification

All the pay rises in Sustaining Progress, including benchmarking increases, are linked tothe verification of a detailed modernisation and change agenda, which was agreed aspart of the pay deal. Two Performance Verification Groups (PVGs), one for localauthorities and another for education, are charged with verifying staff and unions' co-operation with change and Sustaining Progress and benchmarking payments cannot besanctioned without the PVGs' say so. The PVGs are made up of equal numbers ofemployers' representatives, union officials and independent members, plus anindependent chairperson. IMPACT national secretary Al Butler is a member of both.

The PVGs for education and local government reported in respect of the benchmarkingand general round increases in 2004 and will shortly report in respect of the 1st June2005 payments, worth 1.5 per cent plus the final quarter of benchmarking. All IMPACTmembers have so far received the increases.

Modernisation action plans were drawn up for all organisations and the county manager,director or chief executive officer responsible for the action plan can complain to thesecretary general of their department if they are unhappy with local co-operation withchange. This has occurred a number of times in both education and local government.

A Local Authority National Council (LANC) was established to improve industrial relationsprocedures in local government and an agreement on spheres of influence between theunions, mainly IMPACT and SIPTU, was reached. IMPACT national secretary Al Butlerwas appointed joint secretary of the LANC, with management representative Paul Dunne.A number of claims were identified by the unions and progressed through the LANC.Procedures are set down in Sustaining Progress for dealing with issues when the LANCcannot reach agreement.

Discussions on the implementation of modernisation and change in local government andeducation were conducted through the partnership process in the Local Authority NationalPartnership Advisory Group (LANPAG), the national partnership forum for institutes oftechnology, and the national partnership for Vocational Education Committees (VECs).

Benchmarking payment dates

Summer 2003 First 25% of awards, backdated to December 2001

1st January 2004 50% of award

1st June 2005 Final 25% of award

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LANPAG

Sustaining Progress required the following issues to be addressed in modernisation talks:customer service, partnership, performance management and development system(PMDS) and change at local level. The action plans submitted by local authorities throughtheir partnership committees contained commitments to improvements in customerservice. These included the extension of lunchtime opening and the introduction of e-based systems. A number of local authorities introduced pilot complaint tracking systemsand others produced customer-focussed surveys.

Contracts for partnership facilitators, which were due to expire in March 2005, wereextended for a year following IMPACT's intervention. A comprehensive review of the postis to commence by September 2005.

The PMDS was introduced in a number of pilot sites under the guidance of independentconsultants. Following a review it was agreed that it would be difficult to roll out PMDS inthe same way in all local authorities. It was agreed that each local authority should recruittwo training officers for not less than 18 months. They are to be paid the dual actingallowance and there is to be local agreement on whether the posts will be back-filled. Adepartment would be selected for the roll out of PMDS and, on completion of thatprogramme, other departments would follow. This is designed to achieve a manageableexpansion of PMDS in each local authority. Competitions for the training posts wereunderway as this report went to print.

IMPACT also reached agreement with LANPAG on the introduction of an initiative tomanage change at local level. Seven pilot sites have been chosen for the initiative,'Handling significant change at local level'. There is a recognition that substantialadditional training is needed and, following talks with IMPACT, this is to be funded to thetune of �17,000 in each pilot. Each site is to identify a project requiring significant changeand there will be a review of the outcomes in autumn 2005.

National partnership forum - institutes of technology

The complexity of lecturing grades, and the broad span of reporting relationships, made itdifficult to structure PMDS in the institutes of technology. Consultants were engaged and,following their report, talks began on a strategy for roll out to the institutes. No agreementhas yet been reached on the structure required to deliver training and the outcome of apilot project in Dublin Institute of Technology is awaited.

Contracts for facilitators were agreed to the end of 2005 and funding for their continuationwas secured. But the Council for Directors of Institutes of Technology has said it wants toreview the facilitator situation. A meeting is awaited.

PMDS in vocational education committees

The scale of the PMDS programme in vocational education committees (VECs), which ismuch smaller than in the local authorities and institutes of technology, has beenprogressing reasonably well. Co-ordination between smaller VECs in areas like trainingwill be needed. IMPACT identified a difficulty with regard to school secretaries, whowould be appraised by principals who are not part of any formal PMDS structure.Agreement was reached with the IVEA on the basis that VEC chief executives will haveoverarching responsibility for schools and would satisfy themselves that the team effortbetween school secretary and principal forms part of the review.

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Benchmarking 2

Under Sustaining Progress, the Public Sector Benchmarking Body (PSBB) is to begin asecond examination of public and private sector pay in the final quarter of 2005. The newPSBB must be set up by 1st July 2005 and report in the second half of 2007. It isexpected that the terms of reference will be very similar to the first benchmarkingexercise. Management and unions are also considering ways of streamlining the processand making it more transparent, while ensuring that the exercise remains effective andefficient. There will also have to be agreement on the list of grades to be reviewed.Again, this is expected to be similar to last time. Lists of grades to be benchmarked in thesecond exercise, and lists of linked grades, will need to be finalised before the summer of2005.

Fixed-term contracts

IMPACT has lodged a number of claims under the Protection of Employees (Fixed TermWorkers) Act, 2003, which has significant consequences for a number of grades in thedivision. The Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against temporary staffunless there are objective grounds for variations in pay and conditions. This means fixedterm staff who do the same or similar work as permanent staff must enjoy the same payand conditions. It also prevents employers from undermining workers' rights by employingthem on a series of temporary contracts over long periods of time.

Fire service

Following a breakdown in negotiations on the introduction of a new fire service structure,IMPACT referred the matter to the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in July 2004.Further discussions took place with the Local Government Management Services Boardafter the LRC issued its recommendation and a ballot was due to take place in April2005. The offer is contingent on the acceptance of new titles, new job descriptions and acommitment to changes in the management and administration of the service.

Pollution officers

The union's vocational group for technicians employed as environmental technicianschanged its name to the environmental workers' vocational group in 2004. It nowrepresents a wider spectrum of staff employed by local authorities, including scientificofficers (environmental).

National Education Welfare Board

Negotiations have continued on a wide range of issues concerning education welfareofficers, previously school attendance officers, employed by the National EducationWelfare Board (NEWB). A number of issues concerning conditions and salaries havebeen referred to the Labour Relations Commission. A NEWB partnership committee hasbeen established and slow progress has been made on a range of issues.

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School secretaries

The different pay rates for school secretaries employed under the 1978 scheme andthose employed under the PESP terms remains the major issue facing the group.IMPACT is now addressing this under the fixed-term workers' legislation, in relation to thefailure to pay benchmarking increases to the latter group. An IMPACT claim for improvedstructures was rejected by the Department of Education and Science who said it was a'cost increasing claim,' which is not allowed under Sustaining Progress.

Institutes of technology

A number of meetings have taken place within the ITs' partnership forum. Agreementshave been reached on the introduction of a number of family friendly policies includingterm-time working, partial return to work and an acting up policy. A claim is beingprogressed for sports officers as a consequence of the implementation of the ChapmanFlood Mazars report and a date for an LRC hearing has been arranged for early May2005. Following protracted discussions and a Labour Court recommendation, institute oftechnology librarians balloted and accepted an offer from the Department of Educationand Science.

Local authority library grades

IMPACT's claim for an improved local authority library service structure went to theLabour Court, which issued a recommendation in July 2004. Negotiations with the LocalGovernment Management Services Board then continued. They covered new jobdescriptions for branch librarians and a consequent review of existing job descriptions forlibrary assistants. The Court recommended that an independent consultant examine thelevel at which professional qualifications apply within the public service and this review isnow underway. Negotiations have also commenced at local level on the new structures inthe agreement, which provide for the introduction of a grade VII and grade V (staff officer,libraries). These negotiations will be the first review of the library service since theintroduction of Better Local Government (BLG).

Contracts of employment - local authorities

Agreement on contracts was reached through the LANC staff panel after being raised byIMPACT. An offending paragraph in some new contracts, which concerned lay-offs, waswithdrawn and agreement was reached that anyone who had been issued such acontract could have a new one.

Public-private partnerships

Agreement on public-private partnerships (PPPs) was reached through LANPAG. It wasagreed that PPPs that are purely local in nature would be dealt with at local level but thatLANPAG would deal with matters that had national consequences. The agreement alsosays that any industrial relations content of PPPs would be dealt with by unions in theLabour Relations Commission or Labour Court.

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Civil defence officers

IMPACT is to set out proposals for a review of the civil defence function following itsclaim on behalf of civil defence officers. The union had sought a review of the CivilDefence Act, which established a board with enhanced powers and responsibilities.

Community enterprise and development officers

Negotiations with the Local Government Management Services Board have taken placeon the establishment of permanent posts for community enterprise and developmentofficers. A tentative offer has been received and a further meeting with the LGMSB wasawaited as this report went to print.

Pensions

In 2004, unions agreed new arrangements that allow public servants to retire early, buton a reduced pension. The new arrangements will allow most existing public servants toretire after age 50, with a percentage reduction in their lump sum and pension payments.People who joined the public service after March 2004 will be able to retire at age 55.The pension reductions for early retirees apply for the lifetime of their pension payments.The measures were agreed by unions following the publication of the report of theCommission on Public Service Pensions, which said any early retirement arrangementsshould be cost neutral. Unions concluded the final arrangements with the Department ofFinance as this report went to press, and sanction issued in April 2005.

In negotiations that followed publication of the pension commission's report, IMPACT andother unions fought successfully to preserve the link between public sector pay andpensions. Since then, new legislation has established a minimum retirement age of 65 fornew entrants to the public service after 1st April 2004. The Government defined a newentrant as a person entering the public service after 1st April 2004, which means existingstaff will continue to benefit from the current terms even if they change employment. Abreak of six months is required to lose this entitlement. Existing staff will not lose theircurrent entitlement if they take career breaks or special leave for more than six months.

Divisional executive training

In autumn 2004, members of the divisional executive committee visited leading localgovernment trade unions and employers in Copenhagen, Denmark. A broad range ofissues was covered but the main focus was on the effect of private-public partnerships(PPPs) on employment and security of tenure. The executive experienced at first handthe consequences of privatisation of local services, together with the Danish unions'approach to recruitment and retention of members.

In April 2005 members of the divisional executive committee held meetings with theEuropean Public Services Union, the umbrella organisation for European public serviceunions, and met MEPs to express the union's concerns about the proposed EU servicesdirective. Meetings also took place with experts concerning the European interpretation offixed-term contracts legislation, which is based on a European directive.

Appendices

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Appendix one - pay scales

Clerical and adminstrative

Grade 3 Clerical Officer, Library Assistant20,531 - 21,494 - 22,456 - 23,421 - 24,386 - 25,349 -26,310 - 27,270 - 28,235 - 29,195 - 30,163 - 31,981 -33,2741

Grade 4 Assistant Staff Officer, Senior LibraryAssistant, Revenue Collector (national grade),Storekeeper Grade B25,085 - 26,913 - 28,760 - 30,138 - 31,468 - 33,264 -34,565 - 35,885 - 37,0991 - 38,3202

Grade 5 Staff Officer, Assistant Librarian, LegalAssistant, Storekeeper Grade A35,885 - 37,017 - 38,186 - 39,382 - 40,524 - 41,9031 -43,2792

Grade 6 Senior Staff Officer, Executive Librarian,Senior Legal Assistant, Clerk of Works, BuildingInspector, Town Clerk with population of lessthan 5,00040,101 - 41,072 - 42,279 - 44,488 - 45,815 - 47,5031 -49,2022

Grade 7 Administrative Officer, Town Clerk withpopulation of over 5,000 and less than 9,00041,935 - 42,995 - 44,235 - 45,479 - 46,728 - 47,841 -48,979 - 50,081 - 51,177 - 53,0701 - 54,9682

Town clerks

Population of over 15,00057,269 - 58,709 - 61,005 - 63,303 - 65,606 - 67,882 -70,177 - 72,7741 - 75,3692

Population less than 5,00040,101 - 41,072 - 42,279 - 44,488 - 45,815 - 47,5031 -49,2022

Population of over 5,000 and less than 9,00041,935 - 42,995 - 44,235 - 45,479 - 46,728 - 47,841 -48,979 - 50,081 - 51,177 - 53,0701 - 54,9682

Technical grades

Technician Grade II24,524 - 25,446 - 26,376 - 27,301 - 28,216 - 29,152 -30,068 - 31,006 - 31,935 - 32,816 - 33,793 - 34,9421 -36,0842

Technician Grade I33,793 - 34,384 - 35,154 - 35,926 - 36,686 - 37,454 -38,158 - 39,4511 - 40,7522

Executive Technician36,312 - 37,262 - 38,235 - 39,206 - 40,176 - 41,143 -42,5401 - 43,9372

Senior Executive Technician38,829 - 39,663 - 40,802 - 42,731 - 43,898 - 45,5151 -47,1422

Chief Technician40,180 - 41,186 - 42,367 - 43,551 - 44,741 - 45,801 -46,884 - 47,928 - 48,965 - 50,7761 - 52,5932

Welfare and social worker grades

Housing Welfare Officer33,870 - 35,489 - 37,127 - 38,753 - 40,372 - 42,004 -43,641 - 44,942 - 46,256 - 47,1801

Social Worker32,483 - 34,147 - 35,819 - 37,491 - 39,153 - 40,851 -42,527 - 43,891 - 45,257 - 46,1641

Professionally Qualified Housing WelfareOfficer/Social Worker39,117 - 40,960 - 42,738 - 44,520 - 46,306 - 48,094 -49,889 - 50,8871

Engineering grades

County Engineer70,604 - 73,226 - 75,841 - 78,458 - 81,080 - 83,8351 -86,5862

Senior Engineer65,817 - 67,429 - 69,040 - 70,651 - 72,262 - 73,879 -76,3111 - 78,7472

Senior Executive Engineer55,709 - 57,470 - 59,230 - 60,990 - 62,756 - 64,512 -66,286 - 68,5091 - 70,7302

Executive Engineer42,140 - 43,730 - 45,325 - 46,918 - 48,512 - 50,104 -51,697 - 53,285 - 54,886 - 56,476 - 58,3071 - 60,1422

Assistant Engineer36,368 - 37,954 - 39,529 - 41,105 - 42,688 - 44,264 -45,839 - 47,421 - 49,006 - 50,6271 - 52,2512

Graduate Engineer (range)28,864 - 31,839 - 34,804

Other grades

Rent Collector (salaried)23,432 - 24,202 - 24,972 - 25,741 - 26,507 - 27,278 -28,045 - 28,814 - 29,475 - 30,7631 (Bonus 2,510)

Rent Collector (fee per cottage)42.15

1 = After three years satisfactory service at the maximum.2 = After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.

All scales effective 1st December 2004 unlessotherwise indicated.

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Appendix oneBranch Librarian (hourly rate)11.242 - 11.769 - 12.296 - 12.824 - 13.353 - 13.880 -14.406 - 14.932 - 15.460 - 15.986 - 16.516 - 17.511 -18.2191

City and County Librarian57,269 - 58,709 - 61,005 - 63,303 - 65,606 - 67,882 -70,177 - 72,7741 - 75,3692

Management grades

Dublin City Manager153,888

Cork County Manager130,213

Cork City Manager and County Managers in DunLaoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South DublinCounty Councils120,066

Level 4 County Managers, Managers of Donegal,Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick, Mayo, Wexfordand Wicklow and Managers of Clare, Kilkenny,Limerick City, Louth, Meath, Tipperary SR,Westmeath111,614

Level 5 City and County Managers and DublinAssistant City Managers, Managers of Carlow,Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan,Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary NR,Waterford, Waterford City and Galway City103,157

Assistant County Managers74,407 - 77,790 - 81,171 - 84,554 - 87,936

County Secretary/Finance Officer/ DevelopmentOfficer (ndc)57,269 - 58,709 - 61,005 - 63,303 - 65,606 - 67,882 -70,177 - 72,7741 - 75,3692

1 = After three years satisfactory service at the maximum.2 = After six years satisfactory service at the maximum.

All scales effective 1st December 2004 unlessotherwise indicated.

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Appendix two - travel and subsistence

Motor Mileage RatesScale A

Rates effective from 1st January 2003Official mileage in Engine capacity Engine capacity Engine capacity a calendar year up to 1200cc 1201 to 1500cc 1501cc and over

cent cent cent

0 - 4000 86.05 101.27 120.26

4001 and over 49.50 50.29 56.40

Scale B

Official mileage Engine capacity Engine capacity Engine capacity in a calendar year up to 1,200cc 1,201 to 1,500cc 1,501 and over

Annual allowance Annual allowance Annual allowance1,105 1,186 1,227

cent cent centup to 4,000 50.55 60.79 74.23

4,001 and over 53.13 62.23 70.21

Domestic subsistence rates Effective 1st September 2004Class of Allowances Night Allowances Day Allowances

Normal Reduced Detention 10 hrs or 5 hrs but lessRate Rate Rate more than10 hrs

A 136.10 125.47 68.03 38.57 15.73

B 122.29 104.59 61.17 38.57 15.73

Appendix

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Appendix three - vocational groupsArchitects Frances Power, City Architects, DublinCity Council, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.

Archivists Michael Lynch, Limerick RegionalArchives, The Granary, Michael Street, Limerick.

Arts Officers Catherine Kelly, County Library HQ,Dublin Road, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Internal Auditors Michael Bermingham, KildareCounty Council, St. Mary's, Naas, Co Kildare.

Civil Defence Officers Edmond Cooney, CivilDefence HQ, Heywood Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Clerical Officers Ann Joyce, Galway Office, IMPACT,Unit 23, Sean Mulvoy Business Park, Sean MulvoyRoad, Co Galway.

Clerks of Works Tim Callan, Laois County CouncilCounty Hall, Portlaoise Co Laois.

Community and Enterprise Development OfficersRena Cody, Waterford County Council, Dungarvan,Co Waterford.

Directors of Regional Authorities Tom Kirby, FriarCourt, Abbey Street, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

Education Centres Grainne Haughney, DrumcondraEducation Centre, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

Education Welfare Officers Fidelma Collins, CityHall, Cork.

Environmental Workers Bernie O' Flaherty,Monaghan County Council, County Offices,Monaghan.

Estate Managers Gerry Farrell, 26 Ard Aoibhinn,Athenry Co Galway.

Directors of Finance Peter Scully, Laois CountyCouncil, County Hall, Portlaoise.

Fire Officers, Chief Dave Carroll, Fire Station,Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

Fire Officers, Local Authority Eoin O' Donnell,Mallow Fire Station, Mallow, Co Cork.

Fire Officers, National Michael Forrest, Fire Station,Tralee, Co Kerry.

Grades IV to VII Patricia McDermott, NAHB - NursingHome Section, St Mary's Hospital , Phoenix Park,Dublin 8.

Heritage Officers Lorcan Scott, Carlow CountyCouncil, County Offices, Carlow.

Institutes of Technology Vincent Lennon, TallaghtRTC, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

IT Officers Tony Burke, Waterford County CouncilDungarvan, Co Waterford.

Legal Assistants Vacant.

County and City Librarians Donal Tinney, CountyLibrary, Sligo.

Executive Librarians Tony Cox, Donore,Multifarnham, Co Westmeath.

Library Assistants/Senior Library Assistants EvaNdaba, Terenure Library, Templeogue Road, Dublin6w.

Branch Librarians Breda Bollard, Bohilla,Whitechurch Road, Dublin 14.

Museum Curators Liam Bradley, Monaghan CountyMuseum, Monaghan Town, Co Monaghan.

Planners Alison Scott, Planning Dept, Dublin CityCouncil, Civic Offices, Dublin 8.

Regional Tourism Esther O' Donovan, Cork/KerryTourism, Arus Failte, Grand Parade, Cork.

Revenue Collectors Macartan Mohan, Knockaconny,Monaghan.

School Secretaries Caroline Lyons, PortmarnockCommunity School, Co Dublin.

Social Workers Pat Richardson, Dublin City Council,Civic Offices, Dublin 8.

Solicitors Thomas J O'Donohoe, 7 PollnaroomaWest, Knocknacarra, Galway.

Local Authority Storekeepers Sean McHugh, SligoCounty Council, Riverside, Sligo.

Technicians John Menton, Westmeath CountyCouncil, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Town Clerks David Coleman, Tipperary UDC, TownClerk's Office, Dan Breen House, Co Tipperary.

Veterinary Officers Michael King, 13 Kilcarbery Park,Nangor Road, Dublin 22.

VEC Staff Mary O’Leary, County Cork VEC,Adminstration Office, QC House, Cork Business andTechnology Park, Model Farm Road, Cork.