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Civil Service Division

INEC, Killarney19th-20th April 2018

CONFERENCE AGENDA

2018


INEC, Killarney19th-20th April 2018

CONFERENCE AGENDA

2018

Contents

Conference timetable ................................................................................................................................4

Standing Orders Committee ....................................................................................................................5

General standing orders for conference .............................................................................................. 6

Voting procedures for elections ..............................................................................................................8

Standing Orders Committee report No.2 ..........................................................................................13

Nominations for election..........................................................................................................................15

Motions ..........................................................................................................................................................19

Appendix 1: Motions referred to national conference ..................................................................50

Appendix 2: Late motions ........................................................................................................................54

Motion, amendment and nomination withdrawal form ..................................................................55


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Conference timetable

Thursday 19th April

15.00 Opening of conference

Appointment of scrutineers

Appointment of tellers

Adoption of general standing orders for conference

Recommendations of Standing Orders Committee

Election arrangements

Chairperson’s address

15.45 Distribution of ballot papers for chairperson election and Standing OrdersCommittee. On completion of the chairperson election, papers will be distributed for the vice-chair elections.

15.55 Address on behalf of the employee assistance service

16.05 Motions 1 to 33


18.30 Unreached numbered motions

19.00 Close of conference

Friday 20th April

09.30 Motions 34 to 88 continued

11.25 Address by Tom Geraghty, General Secretary, Public Service


12.30 Motions 100 to 123

13.00 Lunch

14.30 Motions 100 to 123 continued

15.00 Motions 124 to 134

15.35 Motions 135 to 148

16.15 Motions 149 to 159

16.45 Close of conference

Conference Agenda 2018

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Standing Orders Committee


Siobhan Daly

David Jennings

Helen Lundy

Michelle McMorrow

Finbar Meehan

Tom O’Connor

Education Division

Eileen Coman

Maggie Ryan

Health and Welfare Division

Gerry Foley

Gina McDonald

Local Government and Local Services Division

Kathryn Collins

Rosemarie Conroy

Municipal Employees’ Division

James Cole

Tom Kavanagh

Services and Enterprises Division

Teresa Kearns

Alan Singleton

The Standing Orders Committee for the Civil Service Divisional Conference is Siobhan Daly, DavidJennings, Helen Lundy, Michelle McMorrow, Finbar Meehan and Tom O’Connor. These will be assisted byother members of the national SOC as necessary at the divisional conference.


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General standing orders for conference

1. These standing orders shall be read in conjunction with the constitution of the Union. If there isconflict on meaning then the constitution shall prevail.

2. The Standing Orders Committee shall recommend the timetable for Conference and the order inwhich motions and amendments submitted shall be taken. When the time allotted to a group ofmotions has elapsed, the chairperson shall allow the debate in progress to finish. S/he shall thenproceed to the next group of motions, thus guillotining any remaining motions in the current section.Such guillotined motions may be taken up by the chairperson later in Conference as time permits.Otherwise they are automatically referred to the appropriate executive committee.

3. Unless otherwise decided by Conference, only one motion may be before Conference for discussionat any time.

4. Individual motions and amendments should be proposed by a speaker from the appropriate executivecommittee or from the branch which gave notice of the motion or amendment. Where no delegate ofthat branch is present, the motion may be proposed by any other member of Conference. In the caseof motions in common debate, all motions and amendments shall be deemed to be formally proposed,unless the Conference has been given advance notice that the proposer of a motion or amendmentdoes not wish it to be proposed. There is no requirement for any motion or amendment to beseconded. Once the agenda has been adopted, motions may only be withdrawn with the agreementof Conference.

5. Only members of Conference as defined by Rules 16(i) and 20(ii) of the equivalent grade committeerepresentatives as defined in Rule 25(ii)(e) of the Constitution may address Conference1. This ruleshall not preclude the Standing Orders Committee from making recommendations to Conference,which shall be considered immediately by Conference.

6. Unless otherwise agreed by Conference, no member shall address Conference unless s/he isproposing or speaking to a motion or amendment or

(i) is raising a point of order; or

(ii) is raising a point of fact; or

(iii) is delivering the chairperson’s address.

7. All speakers should address Conference from the rostrum or microphone, and should announceher/his name and branch or committee. The proposer of a motion shall speak for not more than four(4) minutes, and all other speakers shall have not more than three (3) minutes. Members of therelevant Executive Committee and members of staff will be limited to three (3) minutes whenclarifying points or answering questions.

8. Where several motions and/or amendments submitted deal with the same topic, Standing OrdersCommittee may produce a composite or comprehensive motion. If it is not possible to do this, theremay be a common debate on the issue covered by the group of motions and/or amendments. The firstspeaker on behalf of the proposing branch or the first speaker on behalf of the DEC in the case ofmotions proposed by the DEC shall be deemed to be the proposer of the motion. Each proposer shallhave a maximum of four (4) minutes. In the subsequent debate, no-one may speak more than once,but each speaker may refer to any of the motion(s)/amendment(s) then before Conference, up to amaximum of three (3) minutes. Proposers of motions taken in common debate shall, subject to thediscretion of the Conference chairperson, have the right of reply but only in respect of the motionproposed by her/him and the right of reply shall be strictly confined to answering previous speakers

1 In accordance with Rules 16(iv) and 20(Iv) and with the exception of the casting vote of the Conferencechairperson, only delegates may vote at Conference.


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on that motion and/or where clarification has been sought and the proposer shall not introduce anynew matter into the debate. When the chairperson is satisfied that sufficient time has been allowedfor debate, each motion and/or amendment shall be voted on separately in accordance with therelevant Standing Orders Committee report.

9. Amendments to amendments may not be moved, even under the terms of Rules 17(ix) and 21(ix) ofthe constitution.

10. Except as otherwise provided, no member of Conference shall speak to a motion more than once. Forthe purpose of this standing order, an amendment to a motion and a motion which has been amendedshall each be considered to be a new motion.

11. Subject to the discretion of the Conference chairperson, the proposer of a substantive motion, not incommon debate, shall have a right to reply immediately before the motion is put to Conference,provided that opposition has been expressed or clarification has been requested. However, the rightof reply shall be strictly confined to answering previous speakers on that motion and/or whereclarification has been sought and the proposer shall not introduce any new matter into the debate.The proposer of an amendment shall not have a right of reply.

12. The following types of motion may be moved at any time:

i. Motion to “refer to the National Executive Committee or Divisional Executive Committee.” Thechairperson of Conference will then ask the proposer of the motion or amendment if s/he agrees. Ifnot, there will be a short debate on the motion to refer, before Conference decides the issue byvoting. If the motion to refer is defeated, the original debate will continue.

ii. Motion “that the question be now put.” This motion may only be put to Conference if the chairpersonis satisfied that a reasonable amount of time for debate has been allowed. If the chairperson is sosatisfied, the motion shall be put without discussion.

iii. Motion “that Conference proceeds to next business.” After this motion has been moved the proposerof the motion/amendment under discussion has the right to speak briefly against the proceduralmotion, which shall then be put without further discussion. If it is defeated, debate shall continue onthe original motion/amendment.

iv. Motion to “suspend standing orders.” Such a motion shall state the purpose and period of time forwhich standing orders shall be suspended. This procedural motion must be passed by three-quartersof the delegates present and voting to be adopted.

13. If two or more members of Conference wish to speak, the chairperson will call on the members whoms/he first observes, except that when a member of the Standing Orders Committee rises, s/he shallbe the next to speak.

14. If, in the opinion of the chairperson, grave disorder has arisen, s/he may at her/his discretion, adjournthe meeting for a specified time.

15. Mobile phones may not be used in the Conference Hall while Conference is in session.

16. No literature, other than Conference documents – agenda, minutes and reports – may be circulated inthe Conference Hall without the express advance approval of Conference by a simple majority ofdelegates present and voting.

17. No smoking or vaping is permitted in the conference premises.


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Brief outline of proportionalrepresentation system as used for Fórsa NEC and DEC elections

There are various different electoral systems used in different countries and organisations to achieve whatare considered in those areas to be democratic outcomes. The UK has the first past the post system insingle seat constituencies where the person with the largest vote – even if well below 50% – gets elected.In France, there are often two rounds – the first to eliminate those other than the top two – and the secondround where one candidate must get a majority to win. In Ireland, we have multi seat constituencies with asystem of proportional representation (PR) with transferable votes. This applies if your first (or second etc.)choice is not elected or is elected with a surplus of votes. The ‘left over’ votes are then transferred to othercandidates of your choice. There are some differences between the PR system used for Dáil elections andthose used for Seanad elections – where the Panel elections and University Seat elections use furthervariations of the PR system. Some years ago the former IMPACT decided on a hybrid version close to theSeanad Panel election system where each vote is treated as being equal to 1,000 votes. CPSU and PSEUoperated broadly equivalent arrangements. While the Fórsa system is designed specifically for NEC andDEC elections it can be used for elections at branch and other levels. Branches and vocational groups are,of course, free to use any of the other Oireachtas models of PR should they wish.

Ballot paper

In any election it is important that the ballot paper is accurate, with candidates listed in alphabetical order(by surname, then first name).

While the ballot paper may give instructions as to how to vote (eg mark, 1, 2, 3 etc. opposite eachcandidate in order of your choice), the ballot paper may not contain any advice or recommendation as towho to vote for.

All ballot papers should have security features. This applies especially where postal ballots are used orwhen voters have possession of ballot papers for a period before the vote. Security features could includea ‘punched’ watermark, different coloured ink/paper, signatures of returning officers and/or other featuresthat make them difficult to reproduce.

The system of distribution of ballot papers must also ensure that only those eligible to vote receive ballotpapers, and that nobody can receive more than one ballot paper. The ballot papers should be placed in asealed box, which is stored safely until the count. Postal ballots received should be placed on arrival in thecount centre in a sealed container. It is essential that the ballot paper cannot identify the voter.

Returning Officer

A Returning Officer, preferably agreed, should be appointed in every case as decisions may be required inrelation to

• The validity of ballots

• The order of distribution of surpluses or

• The elimination of candidates or

• In relation to requests for recounts.

While the Returning Officer may be assisted by various scrutineers (vote counters), only the ReturningOfficer can make decisions. Everyone else is there to assist only.


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Valid ballot papers

One of the first jobs of the Returning Officer is to identify any spoiled or invalid ballot papers. The latterincludes ‘forgeries’ or any ballot paper that does not carry the security marks. All photocopies of ballotpapers are considered to be invalid.

Spoiled votes are those where the ballot paper either does not contain any votes (but might includeuncomplimentary remarks) or does not clearly indicate a preference (eg more than one candidate with thesame preference or ‘X’ etc. marked against them). A ballot paper may be deemed valid for the first orsecond preferences but invalid for subsequent counts (eg ballot paper marked 1, 2, 3, 3, 3. This identifiesthe first two preferences but not subsequent preferences).

First count

All of the valid ballot papers are sorted into parcels according to first preference vote. Each ballot paper isgiven a value of 1,000.

The quota

The quota is calculated by adding all of the valid first preference votes and dividing that number by thenumber of places to be filled plus one (ignoring any fractions), and then by adding one to the result. Forexample, if the number of valid votes was 100,000 (100 votes at value of 1,000 each) and the number ofseats to be filled was 4, the quota is 20,001 i.e. [100,000 ÷ (4+1) +1].

Once a candidate reaches or exceeds the quota, on the first or subsequent counts, that candidate iselected. It is not possible, using this quota system, for more candidates to be elected than the number ofplaces to be filled.

Distribute or eliminate?

The biggest causes of confusion in the PR system are:

• To decide whether to distribute one or more surpluses or to eliminate the lowest candidate(s), and

• If a surplus is to be distributed, how to calculate this and which votes, physically, are transferred.

In one-seat elections, eg union president, treasurer, chairperson of division, this is easy. If one candidateexceeds the quota (50% plus 1 in this case) he/she is elected. If no candidate reaches the quota, then thecandidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated. More than one candidate may be eliminated at thesame time; if for example, the total of the bottom two candidates does not exceed the votes of the nexthighest candidate.

In the single seat election, the lowest placed candidates are eliminated in order and their secondpreferences (or third preferences etc., if their second preference candidates are already eliminated) aretransferred until one candidate either reaches the quota or only two candidates remain in the race. In thelatter situation the candidate with the highest vote is deemed to be elected without reaching the quota.The ballot papers to be physically transferred in the case of eliminated candidates are the actual ballotpapers showing the next highest preference. Where there is no remaining preference, then the vote is non-transferable.

However, where there is more than one position to be filled, the position becomes more complex.

In multi seat elections (eg union vice president, ‘ordinary’ DEC members), the likelihood is that a number ofcandidates will exceed the quota on the first count. The surpluses in these cases may be very small in eachcase. The issue for the Returning Officer is to decide whether to eliminate one or more candidates orwhether to distribute the surplus(es).


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The Returning Officer will distribute the surplus(es) where the total value of all surpluses to be distributedexceeds the difference in votes between the lowest two candidates. This may alter the order of theselowest candidates and in particular the order in they might be eliminated or moved up the list. TheReturning Officer will distribute all surplus(es), (where available) before anybody is eliminated. When eachsurplus is distributed the lowest candidate will be eliminated.

The order in which surpluses are distributed is as follows:

• The greatest surplus is distributed first.

• If there are two or more surpluses that are equal the first to be distributed is the surplus thatarose on the earliest count.

• Where this is also equal the surplus to be first distributed is that of the candidate with thehighest first preferences.

• If all of these are still equal, the first surplus to be distributed is that of the candidate who wasfirst ahead of the other candidate at the first count at which they were unequal.

• If there was no such count (eg first count surplus only to be distributed) then the ReturningOfficer shall decide by lot* which surplus to distribute first.

The order in which candidates are eliminated is as follows:

• The candidate with the lowest vote (total original and transferred) is first eliminated.

• Where two or more candidates equally have the lowest vote, the candidate who is firsteliminated is that who received the lowest first preference votes.

• Where these are equal, the first candidate to be eliminated is that which was lowest at the firstcount at which they were unequal.

• Where these are equal (or cannot arise, as in the first count) the Returning Officer can exercisejudgement based on a scrutiny of the preferences cast, however if the judgement of theReturning Officer is that they are still equal he/she shall decide by lot* which of them is to beeliminated first.

Where the votes of the lowest two or more candidates together with the total surpluses to be distributeddoes not exceed the votes of the next highest candidate, these may all be eliminated together,

*For the avoidance of any doubt “by lot” means a first preference paper of each equal candidate is placed ina hat and one is drawn out. The remaining paper (NOT the paper that has been drawn out) is the candidateto remain in the election.

Physical transfer of ballot papers

Where a surplus is to be distributed, the number of second preference (or next highest preference votes ifthe second preference is already elected or eliminated and so on) is calculated and the ballot papers areplaced in bundles by reference to the second (or next highest preference vote as the case may be). Non-transferable votes (if such exists) are placed in a separate bundle. A ballot paper is non-transferable if itdoes not indicate a preference for a remaining candidate (eg there may not be any second or laterpreference indicated or any such candidate(s) may be already elected or eliminated).

The value of each bundle of votes is calculated by assigning a value to each vote by reference to theproportion of the surplus votes (of the elected candidate whose surplus is being distributed). Thesebundles (of ballot papers) with the ‘adjusted’ value written on the top are then physically transferred to thebundle of the appropriate candidate’s first and any other transferred votes.

Where a candidate is eliminated their second preference votes (or remaining preferences as appropriate)are transferred to the remaining candidate who is named next highest on their list of preferences. Each ofthese transferred votes (if original votes or votes already valued at 1,000 from other eliminatedcandidates) is valued at 1,000 each, exactly the value as if they were first preference votes. This does notapply where the eliminated candidates’ votes contain original and transferred “surplus” votes.


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The value of each of the transferred “surplus” votes in this case is based on the value allocated at the timeof the transfer. The other original votes and preference votes (but not those not containing “surplus” votes-see last paragraph) transferred from other eliminated candidates are valued at 1,000 each.

Elected without reaching the quota

Where at the end of any count the number of remaining candidates equals the number of vacanciesremaining to be filled, they are deemed to be elected even if they have not reached the quota.

Where there is only one vacancy remaining and the highest placed candidate cannot be overtaken by anyother remaining candidate (even if the next highest placed candidate were to receive the total value of anyundistributed surpluses and the votes of all candidates to be eliminated) then that candidate is deemed tobe elected.

Result sheet

The Returning Officer should complete the result sheet as the election proceeds showing:

(1) The total number of votes cast.

(2) The number of spoiled votes.

(3) The total valid poll.

(4) The number of seats to be filled.

(5) The quota.

(6) The list of candidates and their votes, showing transferred votes etc., at each count.

This result sheet should be made available to all candidates and everyone else with an interest in theoutcome of the election eg a copy could be posted in the count centre, conference hall, etc. The ReturningOfficer will make the result sheet available to the candidates, and respond to any queries they may have,prior to making it available to others with an interest in the election.

Re-count

The conference election procedures do not specifically provide for re-counts.

However, the Returning Officer may at any time during the count require a re-count of some or all of theballot papers if he/she has any reason to be concerned that an error may have been made.

There is no specific provision for candidates to seek a re-count either in part or in total. However, aReturning Officer would be required to have regard to any points made by candidates as to why a full orpartial re-count should take place when deciding whether to order such a recount eg if a clear error wasspotted, where in the judgement of the Returning Officer the votes are close enough for any possible errorto have a material effect on any outcome.

It would generally be useful to agree the timescale within which candidates could seek a re-count. This isrequired for very practical reasons, including that the conduct or outcome of later elections may bedependent on the outcome of the election in dispute eg at union conference the vice president electionsare not held until the presidential and treasurer election results are known. The security of the ballotpapers is also an important factor if there were delays in holding a recount. As such, any requests for re-counts should preferably be made before the declaration of the results.


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Fórsa conference election procedures

Rule 19 covers the divisional executive and its officers.

In the case of the Civil Service Division, the divisional executive includes a chairperson or cathaoirleach,two vice-chairpersons or leas-cathaoirligh, and provides that the chairperson or cathaoirleach and vice-chairpersons or leas-cathaoirligh shall not be from the same constituency. The constituencies are: formerCPSU, former IMPACT, and former PSEU.

The election of the chairperson or cathaoirleach is straightforward. A standard PR STV election isconducted and the winner is elected.

Following that election, any candidates from the winner’s constituency for the positions of vice-chairperson or leas-cathaoirleach are excluded from the election and any preferences voted for any suchcandidate move to the next preference. However there is a possibility that two candidates from the sameconstituency could be ‘elected’ in the vote for vice-chairpersons or leas–cathaoirligh. In that event, the lastcandidate elected from a constituency that has had a candidate already elected shall be replaced by thelast eliminated candidate from a constituency that has not had a candidate elected.

If a vacancy subsequently arises in the office of chairperson or cathaoirleach, it shall be filled by theelection by the DEC of a vice-chairperson or leas–cathaoirleach. In turn, the Divisional Executive shall electa member of the Divisional Executive to fill that vacancy of a vice-chairperson or leas–cathaoirleach fromthe constituency of the original chairperson or cathaoirleach in order to fulfil the requirement regarding thethree officers coming from different constituencies.

Rule 23 covers the National Executive and its officers. The president, treasurer and three vice-presidentsmust be from different divisions. For the purposes of this rule, the Local Government and Local ServicesDivision, and the Municipal Employees’ Division are combined.

The election of the president is straightforward. A standard PR STV election is conducted and the winner iselected. Following that election, any candidates from the president’s constituency for the position oftreasurer are excluded from the election and any preferences voted for any such candidate move to thenext preference.

The election of the treasurer is also straightforward. A standard PR STV election is conducted and thewinner is elected. Following that election, any candidates from the treasurer’s and president’sconstituencies for the positions of vice-presidents are excluded from the election and any preferencesvoted for any candidates move to the next preference.

However there is a possibility that two or three candidates from the same constituency could be ‘elected’ inthe vote for vice-president. In that event, the last candidate elected from a constituency that has had acandidate already elected shall be replaced by the last eliminated candidate from a constituency that hasnot had a candidate elected. In the event that this does not satisfy the rules, then the second lastcandidate from a constituency that has had a candidate already elected shall be replaced by the lasteliminated candidate from a constituency that has not had a candidate elected.

When a vacancy arises in the office of president, it shall be filled by the senior vice-president.

When a vacancy arises in an office of vice-president, subject to the requirement that the president,treasurer and three vice-presidents must be from different divisions, the rule prescribes that it shall befilled by the person who, in the election held at the previous biennial meeting of the union conference, mostclosely failed to be elected, provided that, when there is no such person, the vacancy shall be filled by theelection of a member by the National Executive.

March 2018


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Standing Orders Committee report No.2This report is a consolidated report including Standing Orders Committee report No.1.

1. Motions and nominations received

One hundred and ninety five (195) motions were received by the deadline and one hundred and fifty nine(159) are included on the final agenda, with motion 36 being shown from two branches containing theexact same wording giving an actual 194 on the agenda.

The remaining 35 were considered by the SOC to be more appropriate for the national conference agenda.All nominations received in time are set out elsewhere in this conference booklet for your information.Some motions and nominations were received late and are not recommended for the final agenda. Theseare set out in appendix 2 below.

2. Motions considered to be out of order

No motions are considered to be out of order, as such, at this stage. The SOC has adjusted the unionterminology in some to make them in order. However as mentioned above some 35 were considered by theSOC to be more appropriate to the national conference and have been referred there for inclusion in itspreliminary and final agenda (see appendix 1).

3. Motions appropriate to divisional conference

In accordance with rule and until decided otherwise at national conference, each divisional conferenceshall determine policy on pay, conditions and other matters affecting only the members in the division.However, divisional conferences may also consider other matters provided that they are not matters whichare of sole concern to the members of another division or which conflict with policy as previouslydetermined by the union conference. Decisions of divisional conference in relation to such matters have thestatus of recommendations to the National Executive who shall decide on any action to be taken.

Where a motion covers a matter that has, or could have, both divisional and central (ie more than onedivision) dimensions, it is recommended that unless the substance or text of that motion clearly requiresotherwise, it should be presumed that it is intended by the proposers as a matter for action at divisionaland not at central level within the union. As such, motions in this category would not be deemed to fall intothe category of advice to the NEC. However, such motions cannot be portrayed as deciding anything otherthan divisional policy on the issues covered.

The SOC is aware that a process of branch renaming (for union administration purposes only) is ongoing,and has indicated this on the proposing branch reference where applicable.

4. Amendments received

A total of three amendments were received by the deadline as set out in rule. No amendments werereceived late.

5. Amendments considered out of order

The amendment to a motion going forward to the national conference has been deemed to be out of orderby the SOC. It will be referenced and dealt with in the SOC report No.2 for that conference.


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6. Standing orders committee

The standing orders committee for the Civil Service Division is Siobhan Daly, David Jennings, Helen Lundy,Michelle McMorrow, Finbar Meehan and Tom O’Connor, however these will be assisted by other members ofthe national SOC as necessary at the divisional conference. The names of the 16 SOC members are set outelsewhere in this document.

7. Brief outline of proportional representation system as used for Fórsa elections

The SOC is recommending to all conferences that this document be formally adopted as part of SOCreport No.2.

8. Withdrawal/remission of motions

The SOC has been advised by the OCFA Branch that motion 29 is being withdrawn, otherwise it has notbeen made aware at the time of drafting this report of any proposing branches seeking or agreeing to thewithdrawal or remission of any of the numbered motions from the preliminary agenda issued on 15thFebruary 2018. Any branches attending conference who wish to do so may use the form supplied at theback of this agenda booklet.

9. Withdrawal of nominations

The SOC has been notified at the time of writing this report that Helen Lundy will not be a candidate for theDivisional Executive Committee. The SOC wish to advise that if any branches are of a mind to do so andwould prefer for these not to appear on the ballot papers issued at conference then they must berequested by noon on Wednesday 5th April 2018. Nominations may be withdrawn at the conferencebefore the elections using the form supplied at the back of this agenda booklet.

10. Emergency motions

The union rules provide that motions or amendments not included in the final agenda cannot be consideredat conference other than where two-thirds of the delegates agree to add a motion of which timely noticecould not have been given (ie where it refers to events that have occurred since the final date for receipt ofmotions. At the time of writing the SOC has not received any for consideration.

11. Composite/comprehensive motions

The number of motions received, even when those considered as out of order are excluded (159), is verysubstantial. It is highly unlikely that all of these can be properly discussed at conference given the timeavailable to conference for motions and the other items of conference business. As such, the SOC hasconsidered how best to try deal with all of the conference business. The general approach by the SOC inthese matters in relation to conference business is as follows: Where several motions and/or amendmentssubmitted deal with the same topic, the SOC in accordance with General Standing Order 8, have produceda composite or comprehensive motion for the final agenda. Such instances are annotated in the numberedmotions on the agenda. The SOC has done this to the maximum extent possible for the 2018 Civil ServiceConference and has identified a number of topics already where this was possible. The SOC asks, in light ofthe heavy business load of conference, that branches agree this approach. It will facilitate conference toget through the maximum amount of business without unduly curtailing the time required for importantdebates and decisions. It will also allow all proposing branches to have the opportunity to speak to therelevant topic.

Branches and divisional executive who have queries or who wish to seek changes to standing orders or SOC reports are asked to contact the SOC as soon as possible, preferably well before conference. The SOC will also be available in the conference

hotel to branches on the opening day Thursday 19th April 2018.


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Nominations for election

Election of officers

Chairperson

(Former CPSU) Kelly, Eric Longford CS Clerical

Lundy, Helen Galway CS Clerical

McGee, Ann PSO Sligo

Tyrrell Collard, Betty Dublin Central CS Clerical

(Former PSEU) McGuirk, Niall Taoiseach’s

(Former IMPACT) Bolger, Ronan FGE

Codd, Emear Legal Professional

Conaty, Benny Agri-Labs

Madden, Tom Civil Service No.1

O’ Flanagan, John Climate Action and Environment – Professional/Technical

Vice Chair

(Former CPSU) McGee, Ann PSO Sligo


(Former PSEU) Lyons, Audrey Agriculture CS Executive Grades

McGuirk, Niall Taoiseach’s

(Former IMPACT) Bolger, Ronan FGE, Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Aviation and Marine Radio Officers, Oireachtas Ushers, Agriculture Professional/Technical

Codd, Eimear Legal Professional

Conaty, Benny Agri-Labs

Madden, Tom Civil Service No.1

O’ Flanagan, John Climate Action and Environment – Professional/Technical


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Vice Chair continued

Sheehan, Kieran Agriculture No.1, Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Probation Officers, Oireachtas Ushers

Wilson, Gerry Oireachtas Ushers, Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Agriculture Professional/Technical

Election of Standing Orders Committee

(Former PSEU) Daly, Siobhan Revenue Executive Grades

(Former PSEU) Doheny, Mark Justice Executive Grades

(Former IMPACT) Duffy, Alan Climate Action and Environment Professional/Technical

(Former PSEU) Dunne, Larry Revenue Executive Grades

(Former CPSU) Foy, Darryl Dublin North Central Revenue Clerical

(Former PSEU) Hegarty, Paul Revenue Executive Grades

(Former CPSU) Hurley, Kevin Cork CS Clerical

(Former PSEU) Jennings, David Agriculture CS Executive Grades

(Former CPSU) Lundy, Helen Galway CS Clerical

(Former CPSU) McMorrow, Michelle PSO Sligo

(Former PSEU) Oates, Catriona DEASP

(Former CPSU) O’Connor, Kieran Limerick General

(Former IMPACT) O’Connor, Tom Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services

(Former IMPACT) Ryan, Geraldine FGE

(Former CPSU) Warner, Margaret Waterford CS Clerical

(Former IMPACT) Williamson, Kieron Civil Service No.1


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Election of members of the executive committee

(Former CPSU) Brennan, Debbie Carlow CS Clerical

Copperthwaite, Daniel DEASP Dublin Central

Donoghue, Cormac Portlaoise General (NEC)

Fanning, Deirdre Shannon Transport Clerical

Gallagher, Martin Ashtown Gate Revenue Clerical

Guckian, Maura Sligo General

Kelly, Stephanie Clare General

Kelly, Sue Ballina General (NEC)

Linehan, Helen Cork CS Clerical

McCaffrey, Michelle Longford CS Clerical

McGee, Ann PSO Sligo

McGee, Kathleen Letterkenny CS Clerical (NEC)

McLoughlin, Liam Galway CS Clerical

Murphy, Terry OPW Clerical

O’Connor ,Kieran Limerick CS Clerical

O’Neill, Tanya Limerick Revenue Clerical (NEC)

Taylor, Jean Dublin North Central Revenue Clerical


(Former PSEU) Brennan, Melissa Justice Executive Grades (NEC)

Crowe, Michael DEASP

Hanlon, Alan Education (PSEU) (NEC)Garda

Hastings, Pat Children and Youth Affairs

Jackson, Martin Revenue Group (former PSEU) (NEC)

Kelly, Larry Transport (PSEU) (NEC)

Lyons, Audrey Agriculture, Food and the Marine

McAuley, Dermot Taoiseach’s

McCarthy, Jim PER Executive Grades (NEC)

McEleney, Rhona Revenue Executive Grades (NEC)

Mehigan, Deirdre Revenue Executive Grades (NEC)

Melinn, Kevin Department Culture Heritage and Gaeltacht

O’ Connor, Jack DEASP

O’Hara, Niamh Business, Enterprise and Innovation

Quinn, Eddie Education (PSEU)

Redmond, Brian Revenue Executive Grades (NEC)

Ryan, Denis PER Executive Grades (NEC)


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(Former IMPACT) Bolger, Ronan FUGE (NEC)

Conaty, Benny Climate Action and Environment – (NEC)Professional/Technical, Agri-Labs

Codd, Eimear Climate Action and Environment – (NEC)Professional/Technical

Cody, Marian SENO, Climate Action and (NEC)Environment – Professional/Technical

Dunne, Eugene FGE, Probation Officers, AMROArchitectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Oireachtas Ushers, Agriculture Professional/Technical

Guirey, Jim FGE, AMRO, Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Oireachtas Ushers, Agriculture Professional/Technical

Lowde, Sean FGE, Probation Officers, AMRO, Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Oireachtas Ushers, Agriculture Professional/Technical

Madden, Tom Civil Service No. 1 (NEC)

O’ Flanagan, John Climate Action and Environment – (NEC)Professional/Technical

Ryan, Mick Civil Service No.1

Sargent, Willie FGE, Probation Officers, AMRO,Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Oireachtas Ushers

Sheehan, Kieran Agriculture Professional/Technical (NEC)

Smith, Sheila AMRO, Architectural, Engineering and Heritage Services, Oireachtas UshersAgriculture Professional/Technical

Wilson, Gerry Oireachtas Ushers, Architectural, (NEC)Engineering and Heritage ServicesAgriculture Professional/Technical


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Motions

Pay and allowances

Motion 1 – Legal Officers Professional

This conference instructs the new Divisional Executive Committee of Fórsa that in the next agreementwith Government Fórsa must target a pathway to restore full pay to the remaining ten per cent of civilservants still effected by FEMPI pay provisions. (2).

Withdrawn n Amended n Carried n Not Carried n Remitted n

Motion 2 – CSO Professional

This conference calls on Fórsa to urgently seek the removal of two points from all post-January 2011 payscales as forms part of the Public Service Stability Agreement. We also seek to ensure the method of doingso is as equitable as possible for those have already reached an increment point equal to or above thosebeing removed. (4).


Motion 2 covers Motions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Motion 3 - Revenue Tallaght

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee to seek to abolish thetwo lowest points on the clerical officer payscale. (5).


Motion 4 – Civil Service No.1

This conference recognises that, as part of the Public Service Stability Agreement which was balloted onand passed, there is a proposal is to eliminate two points from the payscales to enable new entrantsaccelerate up the payscales quicker. We request that this union does all that it can to ensure that thishappens in as quick and as equitable a way as possible. (6).


Motion 5 – Agriculture Professional/Technical

This conference instructs Fórsa to negotiate for the removal of a minimum of two increments from theincremental pay scale for all staff affected by the recent changes to starting pay and incremental payscales. (7).


Time Unit D 16:05 to 17.45 – Thursday

Motions 1 – 33

18.30 to 19.00 – Unreached numbered motions


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Motion 6 – Oireachtas Ushers

This conference directs that the Fórsa trade union makes it a priority to resolve the issue in relation to payequalisation for staff who were recruited since 2011. This current situation is completely unacceptableand clearly unjust for this two tier pay structure to exist. (8).


Motion 7 – Department of Defence

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to as a matter of priority, seek therevocation of section 2 of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (No. 5 of2009), which reduced the wages for entry level grades in the civil service by 10%.

The effect of this provision resulted in two extra increment points being imposed on post-2013 entrantsand on pre-2013 entrants subsequently being promoted to these grades. (9).


Motion 8 – Probation Officers

Given the inequalities caused by the decision to create new, longer merged pay scales for new entrants,Fórsa should insist on the reforming of pay scales to eradicate the disadvantage for new entrants. (24).


Motions 9 and 10 common debate.

Motion 9 – Cork CS Clerical

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to seek to ensure that all clericalofficers in Fórsa have parity with other clerical officers in the division on pay, terms and conditions. (12).


Motion 10 – Galway CS Clerical

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to seek to ensure that there is aparity on pay, terms and conditions with all clerical officers in Fórsa division/union. (13).


Motion 11 covers Motion 12.

Motion 11 – Cork CS Clerical

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to work towards achieving ashorter incremental pay scale for clerical officers, ie to remove the lower three increments, so that all newentrants starting salary is equivalent to the current point four of the payscale. (14).



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This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to work towards achieving ashorter incremental pay scale for clerical officers ie to abolish/remove at least three or more of the startingincrements. (15).


Motions 13, 14 and 15 common debate

Motion 13 – Letterkenny General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to enter into discussions to seek toensure that clerical officers on the max of the pay scale are automatically granted the higher clericalofficer pay scale after 25 years’ service. (28).


Motion 14 – PSO Sligo

This conference recognises the recent increase in the higher clerical officer scale from 15% to 25% in therecent pay agreement. We believe that the higher clerical officer should be open to all clerical officers asthe last increment of the clerical officer grade. Every clerical officer should be entitled to receive thisincrement on 25 years’ service as a clerical officer and therefore conference instructs the divisional CivilService Executive Committee and the National Executive Committee to ensure that a pay claim is lodgedwith the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on behalf of the clerical grade. (32).


Motion 15 – Limerick CS Clerical

This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to begin negotiations with the Minister forPublic Expenditure and Reform and all appropriate parties to seek, that upon reaching the end of theclerical officer long service increment scale that those clerical officers automatically become higherclerical officers. (10).


Motion 16 – Third Secretaries

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to seek that fixed rate allowancesbe increased in line with any pay increases agreed for civil servants, and that this to be retrospectivelyapplied and to include pay increases secured since the financial crisis ended. (16).


Motion 17 – Oireachtas Ushers

This conference directs the Fórsa trade union to take all reasonable steps regarding the 1% andsubsequent increases in the terms of the Public Service Stability Agreement, to be addressed in relation topensionable allowances and overtime, as these are generally determined by basic pay. (17).



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Motion 18 – PRA Executive Grades

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek the reversal of theovertime rate cuts imposed on civil servants under Circular 8/2013: Revision of pay of civil servants. (18).


Motion 19 – FGE

This conference seeks to have all civil servants represented by Fórsa placed on a devisor for thecalculation of overtime that is based on the actual hours worked. (19).


Motion 20 – DEASP

This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to source information from each departmentin the civil service as to the rates of payment to their clerical officers when working overtime. This shouldbe done by gathering examples of payments made to a person on the lower end of the scale, the middle ofthe scale and top of the scale. Should the findings be different between departments, then, the unionneeds to seek to correct this. Furthermore, conference instructs the union to challenge the Department ofPublic Expenditure and Reform on the wording of the Haddington Road Agreement, regarding overtime.This can be seen as an equality issue, as time and a half at the first point of the scale does not suit the olderstaff, the newer staff are then put on the lower overtime rate too. The wording of this seems purposelymade to favour the older staff within the departments. This is seen as an unfair means of paying overtime.(20).


Motion 21 – FGE

This conference calls on the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee to seek a fullrestoration of all reductions in terms and conditions endured by members and that this should be acomprehensive return of all hours, sick leave and overtime reductions applied during the crisis. (21).


Motions 22 and 23 common debate

Motion 22 – Buncrana

The living wage is the average hourly gross salary required by a single individual (without dependents) infull-time employment to afford a socially acceptable minimum standard of living across Ireland. In 2017living wage was set at €11.70 per hour, at that time the minimum wage was €9.25 per hour.

We were told last year at conference that the first five CO scale points were below the living wage. As at1st January 2018, new CO’s starting pay is €23,108 per year, €442.85 per week and €10.24 per hour, byreference to the 2017 living wage, there are still four CO scale points below the accepted living wage.

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee;

to campaign for the introduction of a living wage for all civil servants on entry to the service, and toconsider this as a minimum in all future pay negotiations. In effect this means that no new entrants tothe civil service should start on a salary scale point which is less than the current “living wage”prevalent at the time of their recruitment. (22).



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In any talks on pay in the Civil Service Divisional Executive should insist that a figure no less than the livingwage will be the minimum entry point for all civil service positions. (23).


Motion 24 – Craobh na mBunchigirí agus Cigirí na Luathblianta

That Craobh na mBunchigirí agus Cigirí na Luathblianta calls on the Divisional Executive Committee ofFórsa to continue to prioritise with the Government the restoration of full income for all staff who havesuffered a reduction in income due to pay cuts imposed by the various national agreements since theeconomic crash in 2008. Craobh na mBunchigirí is particularly concerned about the narrowing pay gapbetween inspectors and other professionals in the Department of Education and Skills and calls on theDivisional Executive Committee to ensure that relative differences in pay, commensurate with thepositions held are maintained. (25).


Motion 25 – Revenue Executive Grades

This conference calls on the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek from Revenue managementan increase in the value of allowances in line with increases due under national pay deals. (26).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive to highlight and publicise the increase in thehigher and top management in the civil service as opposed to those working on the ground and in thefrontline. For example from 1998 to 2009 the numbers of Principal Officer (Higher) increased 462% from60 to 337 while the clerical officer number increased by 14% from 9,396 to 10,735. Conferencerequests the Executive to establish the figures from 2009 to date with a view of showing the imbalance innumbers of higher grades in the civil service and how this imbalance is misleading when average pay of acivil servant is quoted in the media. (27).


Motion 27 – Agriculture CS Executive Grades

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to defend the principle of ‘equalpay for equal work’ and that if it has been accepted that work carried out by administrative officers isinterchangeable with that carried out by higher executive officers that the Executive Committee shouldseek to have administrative officers paid commensurately for carrying out such work. (29).



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Motion 28 – OCFA

Given the high attrition rates in professional and technical grades recruited since 2010 in the Oireachtaslibrary and research and debates offices (as noted in IMPACT submission to the Public Service PayCommission), and the fact that staff hired since 2010 are compelled to start at point minus two on thesalary scale (relative to the previous salary scales) and also that staff undertaking the same work but hiredprior to 2010 were able to negotiate their starting point (‘increment jump’) on the relevant pay scale (and inmost cases started being paid €20,000 more than their colleagues doing the same work but recruitedpost 2010), the Civil Service Divisional Executive should:

firstly, adopt a policy to seek negotiated incremental scale starting points for professionaltechnical staff in line with their experience and qualifications;

and,

secondly, initiate negotiations at central and local level such that professional technical staffwho started since 2010 can renegotiate their point on the increment scale in line with thepractice that was applied to their colleagues (doing the same work) but hired pre 2010. (30).


Motion 29 – OCFA

This conference instructs the Civil Service Divisional Executive to seek that the PCW 1% be allocated in away that includes an allocation of a minimum of 75% of the pot to staff with special skills and an allocationof the remainder to staff with long service. (31).


Motion 29 has been withdrawn by the OCFA branch.

Motion 30 – FGE

This conference directs Fórsa to seek to remove all anomalies which have arisen through its efforts todeliver on its commitments on pay recovery and that its efforts, particularly dealing with issues of low payare continued. (33).


Motion 31 – Revenue Tallaght

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to recognise the fact that incomingclerical officers are required to sit the tax technician exams with no additional pay or recognition for it, andif they are unsuccessful can have their probation extended. (1).


Motion 32 – Athlone

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to set up a pay calculator so that amember considering taking unpaid leave can calculate how much pay they would be down. (3).



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Motion 33 – Housing

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to ensure that grades representedby Fórsa with long service are not precluded from access to higher scales following Government decisionsto restructure departments and where a new department is over the quota for uplifts. (34).


Time Unit E 17:45 to 18:30 – Thursday

09:30 to 11:25 – Friday

Motions 34 – 88

Organisation of the public service

Motion 34 – DEASP

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek pay and conditions re-alignments between equivalent grades across the civil and public sector ie pay scales, annual leave andworking hours while ensuring no one grade/sector has their entitlements reduced as a consequence.(35).


Motion 35 covers Motions 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42.

Motion 35 – Agri-Labs

This conference instructs Fórsa to actively pursue restoration of the pre-Haddington Road Agreementworking hours for all civil servants as part of any future pay negotiations. (36).


Motion 36 – Department of the Taoiseach; Department Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

This conference notes the Government was unwilling to restore the working hours of civil servants back totheir previous parameters during the last pay negotiations.

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to make clear in its futurediscussions with other divisions, unions and appropriate parties, that the priority for civil servants in thenext restoration talks is the restoration of hours. (37).



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Motion 37 – Education and Skills

Even if all FEMPI related pay cuts were to be rolled back, full restoration of pay without restoration of theformer 6h 57m working pattern would still require members to work 17 additional days annually free ofcharge. This conference therefore instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek therestoration of the former full time working pattern of 6h 57m, as the 100% working pattern rather than asreduced hours with consequentially reduced pay. (38).


Motion 38 – Clare General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to pursue the removal of the extrahours unfairly imposed on civil servants and a return to the normal working day of 6.57. This would bekeeping in line with the aspirations of our sister unions in the EU who are seeking to have a moreconsidered working day for all public servants. (39).



This conference calls on the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to vigorously pursue the removal ofthe extra 27 minutes work per day which was imposed on public servants during the financial crisis. (40).


Motion 40 – DEASP

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to request that all members havetheir pay and hours restored to pre-Haddington Road conditions and that the offer of using annual leave toshorten your working day be abolished. (41).


Motion 41 – OPW (PSEU)

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to ensure that the weeklyflexible hours are reverted back to 34¾ hours forthwith. (42).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to start the process of seeking thereturn of all outstanding changes in our pay and conditions removed from public and civil servants duringthe recession including the return of the 27 minutes increased in the working day. (43).



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Motion 43 – Health

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to proactively engage withDepartment of Public Expenditure and Reform to update Circular 08/2010 on decentralisation, to includethe relocation of Government departments and the issue of what is considered a reasonable dailycommute. If an officer already commutes 45km or more to work each day and the serving departmentrelocates, then the officer should be entitled to be placed on the redeployment panel. (44)


Motions 44, 45 and 46 one debate.


This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to oppose the use of outsourcingin the civil service and to take any actions necessary including industrial action to prevent any furtheroutsourcing. (45).


Motion 45 – FGE

This conference calls on the incoming Fórsa Civil Service Executive Committee to resist all efforts toprivatise functions delivered by Fórsa members in the public service and where these functions have beenprivatised to seek an immediate reversal of this, to defend the continuity of provision of public services bypublicly accountable direct employment and maintain the jobs of grades represented by Fórsa. (84).


Motion 46 – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (CPSU)

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to review and ensure that anyoutsourcing or attempt to outsource areas of the civil and public service be scrutinised and every avenuetaken to oppose the threat of outsourcing. (46).



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PeoplePoint

Motions 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58 one debate.


In light of concerns about the quality of service provided to members by PeoplePoint, a transparent servicelevel agreement should be drawn up with PeoplePoint. This will clearly set out what are acceptableperformance levels in relation to response times and reliability of responses to queries from workers. Thisservice level agreement should include a mechanism for monitoring whether or not Peoplepoint is achievingwhat has been agreed and what the consequences of any failure to do so will be. (47).



This conference notes that PeoplePoint failed to process a significant number of annual travel passapplications in time for the January – December 2018 travel pass year.

This conference further notes that the delay in processing these applications resulted in members havingto pay for public transport whilst they waited for their applications to be processed, resulting in thempaying on the double.

This conference calls on the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee of Fórsa to seek tohave the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform refund to members all additional public transportcosts they had to pay while they waited for their applications to be processed and activated. (48).



This conference acknowledges the dedicated work of PeoplePoint staff in light of challengingcircumstances.

This conference also requests the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to have the provisionof staff services provided by each department’s local HR branch rather than by PeoplePoint. This wouldavoid the unnecessary doubling up of resources including time/budget wastage, increase staff morale andhelp to ensure maximum value is obtained for public services. (49).


Motion 50 – Climate Action and Environment – Professional/Technical

This conference endorses the position put by Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee in respect ofthe HR shared services (PeoplePoint) element of the national shared services office. (50).



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Motion 51 – Department of the Taoiseach

This conference notes with extreme concern the performance of the PeoplePoint operational model. Itnotes that the problems that plagued the system in 2013 still continue in 2018, but have been compoundwith basic systematic issues such as:

• People not being paid their pensions upon retirement;

• People not being paid their correct salary for up to three months upon promotion;

• Overpayments of maternity benefits at the outset of maternity leave and an inability toimplement circulars remedying that flaw;

Conference notes the above difficulties were never common errors prior to the establishment ofPeoplePoint.

This conference is aware these issues have not arisen due to occasional, and inevitable, staff input errorsbut are due to the failure, for over five years, of senior management across Department of PublicExpenditure and Reform and PeoplePoint to adequately address issues of recruitment, retention andnecessary staff resourcing in the organisation.

Therefore, the conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to establish a‘PeoplePoint review committee’, comprised of officials and members, to meet between May and June 2018.This committee will prepare recommendations for the Civil Service Divisional Executive on the future ofPeoplePoint with a view to:

a) Delivery a shared service model that can meet basic expectations, and failing that,

b) Seek the return of operations to the line department. (51).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to arrange for an analysis ofPeoplePoint to highlight that it is a completely unacceptable and ineffective method of dealing with HRneeds. This analysis should include the following issues:

• How many civil servants (clients) does it serve

• How many staff in PeoplePoint ratio of PeoplePoint staff vs clients

• How many live complaints

• How many data breaches

• How many calculations (or lack of calculations) have resulted in an overpayment for clients

• Cost of running PeoplePoint vs cost prior to its operation. (52).



In light of the fact that PeoplePoint has advised that while out on maternity leave or other long term leavemembers will not have access to PeoplePoint systems as these may only be accessed through theGovernment network, this conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to explorethe possibility of accessing PeoplePoint systems from personal devices. (53).



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This conference firstly acknowledges the work of the staff we represent in PeoplePoint. We believe thatwith the constant problems that have arisen could be resolved by returning all shared services back to therelevant departments with the staff, by releasing staff from PeoplePoint to follow the work.

Therefore conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to take the appropriatemeasures to pressure Department of Public expenditure and Reform to return shared services to theirrelevant departments including if necessary industrial action. (54).


Motion 55 – Revenue Dublin North Central

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to condemn the use of the archaicsystems and technology in PeoplePoint, which are causing undue hardship to members in the form ofoverpayments etc. The current “stone age” system needs to be updated as a matter of urgency as it is nolonger acceptable in the 21st century. (55).


Motion 56 – Justice

This conference commends the dedicated work carried out by our members in PeoplePoint whilerecognising that the shared service model is not fit for purpose. Conference calls on the DivisionalExecutive Committee to seek to ensure that functions carried out by PeoplePoint are returned to andcarried out by the employments they came from, whilst seeking to ensure that our members in PeoplePointare prioritised for transfer to civil service vacancies in Dublin. (56).


Motion 57 – FGE

That the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee acts without delay to address the servicedelivery issues associated with PeoplePoint and in particular the option of reverting the functions currentlytransferred to PeoplePoint to line departments who have direct responsibility for their employees. (57).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to engage withPeoplePoint with a view to having the letters issued to staff having to retire early on ill health groundsreviewed. The standard letters while serving their purpose have been described by those who receive themas officious and dismissive following a staff members best years having been given to the service. (58).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to actively pursue the current roledefinition of an administrative officer recruited to revenue and to distinguish the differences between therole of an administrative officer and a higher executive officer in revenue. (59).



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Amendment to Motion 59 – Agriculture CS Executive Grades

After recruited to, delete “revenue” and insert “civil service”.



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional and National Executive Committees and relevant fulltime officials to work with the official side to draw up proposals to re-start the decentralisationprogramme, understanding that no person can ever be de-centralised without their request or consentbeyond the limits of previous agreements. (60)



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek a root and branch review ofthe system of appointment of temporary staff to ensure that it is fit for purpose to meet the demands of amodern civil service in the 21st century. (61).



This conference instructs the National Executive Committee and relevant divisional executives to ensurethat candidates from one sector of the public sector who are successful in an open competition held inanother sector are no longer required to start at the first point of their new scale and that their servicewithin their former grade is recognised in establishing the point at which they enter the scale of their post.(62).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to seek to secure agreement at generalcouncil that all internal candidates securing appointment through external or open competitions transferonto their new pay scale on the same basis as candidates successful in promotion competitions held on aninternal or inter departmental basis. (63).



As a result of the three unions amalgamating to form Fórsa, this conference instructs the incomingDivisional Executive Committee to sanction discussion among the relevant grades in Fórsa to identify thegrade appropriateness of work in all the civil service departments with a view of clearly establishing onceand for all the duties of each grade. (64).



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This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee that since the executive officerand staff officer grades have now been amalgamated that the recognition date of reckonable service forthe mobility scheme should be from when the date the member commenced service as a staff officer andnot from the date they become an executive officer. This would be in harmony with other policies withregards to amalgamation of said grades.

A former staff officer who integrated in the executive officer grade and had made a transfer requestthrough a previous mechanism can apply this legacy date to their application. This will only be weightedagainst other similar applications. It is only in the case that an organisation deem a vacancy that was aformer staff officer position to be filled through the mobility scheme that this list will be used. The sameexecutive officer (former staff officer) will be able to view their executive officer waitlist position which willbe based on length of reckonable service in the executive officer grade. (65).



This conference notes the Judgment in Case C-436/16 of the Court of Justice of the European Union(Peter Novak v the Data Protection Commissioner) which found that the written answers submitted at aprofessional examination and any comments of the examiner with respect to those answers constitute acandidate’s personal data to which they have a right of access.

This conference notes the Court found the written answers provided by a candidate at a professionalexamination, and any comments made by an examiner with respect to those answers, constituteinformation relating to that candidate and should have a right of access.

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to bring this judgment to theattention of the Public Appointments Service and Department Public Expenditure and Reform to makethem aware of the right of candidates to access not only the record of their interview, but also to theiranswers and any comments made by examiners in the psychometric and e-tray exercises, if requested aspart of the overall Freedom of Information or feedback process. (66).



This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to enter into negotiations withthe official side to assign a percentage of all internal promotions to senior suitability. (67).


Motion 68 – Employment Affairs and Social Protection

This Civil Service Divisional conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Executive Committee todefend existing civil service grades from amalgamation or dismantlement with particular reference to theassistant principal officer (APO) grade, the higher executive officer (HEO) grade and the assistant principalofficer (APO) grade in the Social Welfare Appeals Office. (68).



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Motion 69 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive and Civil Service DivisionalCouncil to insist that the Public Appointments Service provides more detailed information to stafftransferring to other departments on interdepartmental promotion, clarifying what exactly their role willentail in the new position, eg when they state that a full driving licence is required, more information shouldbe provided as to what locations need to be travelled to or if overnights are required as part of the role.(69).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to ensure that when acompetition is advertised the definitive criteria to be used in selecting the successful candidate(s) beadvised rather than a list of criteria that “may be used” thus leading to candidates being caught off-guardas the goalposts are changed. (70).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to ensure that candidates,both successful and unsuccessful, are given the opportunity to avail of one-to-one feedback afterattendance at presentation/interviews as part of competitions run by the Public Appointments Service.(71).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to request of Public AppointmentsService to provide greater transparency in the delivery of information, when requested by candidates,including written confirmation, to members, who enquire of their rankings on panels in promotionalcompetitions. (72).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to request of Public AppointmentsService that the current restriction of a candidate being able to choose a maximum of two regions only beremoved for future promotional competitions. (73).


Motion 74 - Agriculture CS Executive Grades

This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to clarify for this conference whatconsultations took place with the branches before the Executive Committee decided to seek that thoseworking in the administrative officer grade could be eligible to complete in internal and interdepartmentalHEO competitions (74).



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This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee not to take any action which coulddisadvantage the traditional promotional prospects of executive officer members by seeking to openinternal and interdepartmental competitions for higher executive officer positions to those working at asimilar grade or higher than the higher executive officer grade. (75).


Amendment to motion 75 – Agriculture CS Executive Grades

After prospects of, delete “executive officer” and after working at a, delete “similar grade or higher than”and insert “grade with the same maximum scale point as”.


Motions 76, 77, and 78 one debate.

Motion 76 – Department Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

The Newtown Road premises was purpose built by the Office of Public Works to house the Department ofEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government upon its decentralisation in 2010. The decentralisationinvolved the move of large numbers staff and their families, who moved in good faith. The building, close tofull capacity, currently houses several Government departments.

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to resist any attempts toaccommodate private sector workers at premises where civil servants work, if it results in civil servantshaving to be relocated. (76).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to oppose any attempt to eject its membersfrom the Newtown Road, Wexford building in order to surrender the building to a private sector company.The building was constructed less than a decade ago specifically for civil servants decentralising toWexford. (77).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to oppose the surrender of part of theNewtown Road, Wexford building to a private sector company, on the grounds that any spare capacity willbe required to allow the public service to expand to meet the needs of a growing population and economy.(78).



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Motions 79, 80 and 81 one debate


This conference recognises the amount of time, money, effort and sacrifices that members expend inseeking promotion, career advancement or career development opportunities. This conference directs theincoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek that where an applicant is involved in any of thesecompetitions, and if unsuccessful, that as a matter of courtesy the candidate must be informed by thebody running the process that the candidate may appeal the decision in line with the guidelines in the CivilService Code of Practice as appropriate. The timeframes for such appeals must be made evident to eachcandidate and this must be included in the unsuccessful correspondence to candidates involved in theprocess. (79).



This conference recognises the amount of time, money, effort and sacrifices that members expend inseeking promotion, career advancement or career development opportunities. This conference directs theincoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to have realistic timeframes for making an appeal underthe Civil Service Codes of Practice, ie a doubling of the timeframes under various sections of the code.Currently the timeframes for appeal under the Civil Service Code of Practice are considered much tooshort and unreasonable. (80).



This conference recognises the amount of time, money, effort and sacrifices that members endure inseeking promotion, career advancement or career development opportunities. This motion directs theincoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to achieve realistic feedback for candidates fromrelevant bodies or departments running competitions. For example where a candidate sits an interview,examination or shortlisting exercise set by the Public Appointments Service, the PAS must informcandidates in much greater detail where a candidate is deemed unsuccessful or unsuitable. It is consideredunreasonable and demoralising to simply inform candidates that they are unsuccessful or unsuitable, or didnot meet the required expectations for these processes, while on the other hand giving little realisticindication to candidates how they have failed to meet the desired criteria or standard. This conferencedirects the Divisional Executive Committee to seek enhanced feedback at a more granular level in order toassist all candidates in their endeavours. (81).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to ensure that public offices haveadequate staffing levels to meet the services publicised by the head of the relevant departments. (82).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek a change of the existingmethod of recruitment practiced in the civil service, particularly regarding the use of numerical tests whichdo not reflect the competencies and capabilities of individuals when taking part in civil servicecompetitions. (83).



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Motion 84 and 85 common debate


This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee following the rejection by the official side ofa claim for the recommencement of promotion posts based on seniority/suitability that therecommencement of promotion posts based on seniority/suitability should be pursued in future pay talks.(86).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek a policy, where candidateswho compete for promotion positions and are of equal merit, then priority would be given to the candidatewith the longest service in the public service. (87).


Motions 86 and 87 common debate


This conference notes the continuing difference between the civil and political rights of some memberswithin both the Civil Service Division and the wider Fórsa union.

This conference notes many members are precluded from public comment on key national andconstitutional matters entirely unconnected with work they carry out and with no conflict of interests.

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to work towards creating anenvironment where all civil servant members can exercise their right to freedom of expression on mattersunconnected to the work of their employer (ie, department or agency) or directly related to previous areasof work. (88).



This conference instructs Fórsa to address the anomalies around freedom of political association andexpression in the civil service grades previously represented by the PSEU. (89).



This conference calls on the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to note those parts of action eightof the three year Vision One Civil Service Renewal Plan, launched in October 2014, page 21, with a view toopposing 100% abolition of internal promotions envisaged therein, which include the following:

• To ensure that each appointment in the civil service draws on the widest possible pool ofavailable talent

• Extend and maintain a continuous process of open competitions in key areas at a range ofentry levels

• Extend the established policy of open competition for all senior management positions(assistant principal level and above). (90).



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Superannuation


This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to pursue a claim whereby anindividual with 40 year’s service and who has not reached 60 years of age would be able to retire on fullpension. (94).



Understanding that new members are on a different personal pension plan, noting that post 95, pre ‘newentrants’, staff are automatically included on the Spouse and Children’s pension scheme.

Noting that the death in service benefits and survivors pension can particularly assist homemakers andminor children who may have very little other income, through other obligations and new rules imposedrecently, and may not be entitled to a full pension of their own.

This conference instructs the incoming National and Divisional Executive Committees and relevant fulltime officials to work with the official side to ensure that new entrants can access the spouse andsurviving child scheme on as close to the same basis as post-95 staff as is possible. (95).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to pursue a credit for pensionpurposes for grades represented by Fórsa for pre-1995 staff who have or who will take time off under thecareer break scheme or similar schemes. This credit to be similar to the Department of Employment Affairsand Social Protection credit granted to people, when they have a child under 14 years of age. (96).


Motion 92 – PER Executive Grades

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to clarify the position of orphanedchildren, whose mother and father were both civil servants in relation to pension entitlements. As itcurrently stands, only one orphan’s pension is paid, despite both parents paying into the pension scheme.(97).


Time Unit F 11:25 to 11:40 – Friday

Tom Geraghty – Joint General Secretary Fórsa

Time Unit G 11:40 to 12:30 – Friday

Motions 89 – 99


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This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive to request the official side to examine theanomaly which exists between the pension entitlements of staff recruited pre and post-1995. (98).


Motion 94 – Garda Executive Grades

This conference directs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to have the pension andgratuity calculation period in respect of allowances in the nature of pay, extended from the current averageof the best three consecutive years in the last ten to the average of the best three consecutive years in thelast fifteen. (99).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee pursue the extension of the invaliditypension to civil/public servants who pay reduced PRSI. Currently temporary rehabilitation pay (formerlypension rate of pay) ceases after 547 days and those paying reduced contributions have no access to theinvalidity pension scheme. (100).


Motion 96 – FGE

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee to prioritise itsefforts to address the chronically low pensions of its low paid members in the public service and pursuesthe aim of creating a “living pension” for all those who have worked their lives for the state. (101).


Motion 97 – FGE

This conference adopts the policy that the retirement age in Ireland be set at a maximum of 65 years ofage and that this progressive measure be pursued by Fórsa as a policy priority. (102).


Motion 98 – Ballina General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to begin talks with the Departmentof Public Expenditure and Reform to seek an option of an opt-out, for all unmarried single persons from theWidows and Orphans pension contributions scheme. This to take place within six months of the conference,and a report to be given within the first year. (106).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee seek to have a scheme established to grantcredit for superannuation purposes, for a parent who availed of unpaid maternity leave when paidmaternity leave was less than the current 26 weeks paid maternity leave. Any credit given for this unpaidleave to be capped at the current amount of paid maternity leave. (103).



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General conditions of service

Motion 100 – Central Statistics Office

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive Committee to ensure that whenpeople transfer to another department they retain their seniority. (104).


Annual leave

Motion 101 – Courts Executive Grades

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to have annual leaveentitlements for executive officers to be increased in line with higher executive officers. (113).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to have the marriage leavemaximum leave restriction increased from 27 days to reflect the increase in leave. Employees may applyfor an additional five days paid leave at the time of marriage/civil partnership but this was compromisedwith the removal of privilege days and increase in annual leave as well as the increase from this year. (108).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to increase marriage leave to fivepaid days regardless of the amount of annual leave they currently receive. (109).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek arrangements that willallow all staff carry over annual leave and have no three year rule. (110).


Time Unit H 12:30 to 13:00 – Friday

14:30 to 15:00

Motions 100 – 123


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This divisional conference calls on the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to negotiate a change inthe carry-over of leave arrangements to permit a carry of up to ten days in year three of the cycle. (111).


Motion 106 – Children Executive Grades

This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to take appropriate steps to seek an increasein the annual leave allowance for the administrative officer grade at entry level, to correspond with theallowance granted to higher executive officer at the higher executive officer starting point and to ensureongoing parity in respect of leave allowance. (112).


Motion 107 – Tipperary General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to increase the threshold of annualleave. (165).


Motion 108 – Waterford General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek the standardising of annualleave for all grades. (114).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to seek parity of leave entitlement forclerical officers and other lower paid grades with higher grades. The Civil Service Divisional ExecutiveCommittee is to issue a report on this within six months of this conference. (134).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to pursue a claim for all formerhigher tax officers who are currently executive officers for one extra days leave when they exceed 12year’s service. (137).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee of Fórsa to negotiate throughgeneral council and pursue the amendment of the bereavement leave and paternity leave in the civilservice; to seek to secure the leave entitlement of three days to be granted to fathers and/or relevantparent in the event of a miscarriage/still birth between 16 and 23 weeks pregnancy. (118).



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Motion 112 – Justice; Health and Safety

This conference calls on the Executive to seek to allow for civil servants partaking in the career breakscheme to take up employment in other public service offices outside of the civil service. (115).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to support members in local/Intreooffices in Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection who wish to have glass screensreintroduced into their public office areas as a result of health and safety concerns. (116).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek that the Office of the ChiefMedical Officer employ a fully qualified psychiatrist to offer qualified advice and guidance to those officerswho are suffering from mental health issues (for whatever reason) in the workplace. (117).



This conference calls on the incoming Fórsa Divisional Executive Committee to engage with managementto ensure Circular 5/2010 Force Majeure leave and Circular 6/2016 Marriage/Civil Partnership leave areupdated and sections 1.1 and 1.2 are increased to reflect the changes in annual leave for our members.(119).


Motion 116 – CSO Executive Grades

This conference calls on the incoming Civil Service Division Executive Committee to seek agreement withDepartment of Public Expenditure and Reform that force majeure leave can be recorded as a half day ifrequired. (130).



This conference notes the number of administrative officers in the civil service jumped from 214.3 in 2013to 614.81 in late 2017, an increase of 187%. The number of higher executive officers rose 29.5% in thattime. Conference notes the increase does not include the administrative officers recruited in that periodwho resigned or were promoted.

This conference notes the starting pay of the administrative officer scale is more than €16,000 less thanthe starting higher executive officer point and that many departments use administrative officers in aninter-changeable manner with higher executive officers. This conference asserts that the administrativeofficer grade is being exploited as cheap labour and instructs the incoming Civil Service DivisionalExecutive to develop proposals (a) to redress this exploitation, (b) to improve administrative officerretention levels and (c) to bring clarity to the differing work functions of the administrative officer andhigher executive officer grades, for consultation with the employer. These proposals should be ready byOctober 2018. (120).



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This divisional conference instructs the Civil Service Divisional Executive and Civil Service DivisionalCouncil to seek an improvement in civil service travel and subsistence rates. (121).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to engage with management torequest that the flexible morning time band begins at 7:30 rather than 8:00 in order to facilitate staff whoare travelling long distances and who are in daily before 8:00. (122).


Motion 120 – SENO

This conference instructs in the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to ensure that all stagesof the grievance procedures for civil service employees be dealt with in a time bound manner. (123).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to ensure that

• Immigration control officers working within Dublin airport are not subjected to additional dailyscreening, which the revenue customs staff are not required to undergo.

• That the communal staff rooms are refurbished and ergonomically assessed.

• And to ensure that the design of the immigration booths maintain an operating temperaturebetween 17.5°C and 24°C and that in order to satisfy disability regulations that these boothsbe fitted with fixed ceilings. (124).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to seek to have the current paid leaveallowance of 1.5 days for staff to attend court and meetings with legal representatives in cases ofseparation or divorced increased to a minimum of three days. (125).


Motion 123 – DEASP

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek a solution for staff working12 hour shifts Monday to Friday on shift work that their hours cannot be drastically and involuntarilychanged to include weekends working 12 hours (Saturday and Sundays day and nights). A retention of shiftallowance or a proposal of family friendly hours be offered to those who are unable to make the change dueto child minding/family circumstances without loss of pay. (126).



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Diversity issues

Motion 124 - CSO Executive Grades

This conference calls on the incoming Civil Service Division Executive Committee to seek agreement withDepartment of Public Expenditure and Reform that the allowance of taking additional hours off that werepreviously worked up under flexible working hours is reinstated for newly assigned assistant principalofficers. (127).


Motion 125 – Legal Officers Professional

This conference instructs the new Divisional Executive Committee of Fórsa to conduct a review of all legaloffices in the Legal Officers Professional Branch, concerning their core business hours, office openinghours, the out of office on call rotas in place both paid and unpaid, the flexitime schemes in place, flexibleworking arrangements in place, including job share schemes available and finally overtime arrangements inplace or time off in lieu, with a view to targeting in the next agreement with Government arrangements thatensure that members at grades of assistant principal and above have the right to avail of a full range offlexible working arrangements if they so choose. (131).



This conference calls on Fórsa to actively pursue the full rolling back of the cessation of flexible workingarrangements for assistant principal officers recruited /promoted post Haddington Road Agreement.(133).


Motion 127 – CSO Executive Grades

This conference calls on the incoming Civil Service Division Executive Committee to seek agreement withDepartment of Public Expenditure and Reform that the opportunity to revert to pre-Haddington RoadAgreement hours will not be a one off permanent closed off opportunity. (128).


Time Unit I 15:00 to 15:35 – Friday

Motions 124 - 134


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In December 2017 PeoplePoint issued an alert “Opportunity for all officers to revert to pre-HaddingtonRoad Agreement hours”. Arising from the Public Services Stability Agreement 2018-2020, it has beenagreed that civil servants shall have an opportunity to permanently revert to pre-Haddington RoadAgreement hours, with a commensurate reduction in pay (Section2.12.2). This option is applied for in thesame way as applying for a work-sharing option. People availing of this option will have their salariesreduced pro rata, using gross annualised hours of attendance. The ability to avail of such reduction willdepend on the business needs of the organisation.

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek to:

Change the way in which civil servants apply for pre-Haddington hours, before the second opt-in period inJanuary-March 2020, and get it removed from the “work-sharing application” processes, as the work-sharing process is a subject to the business needs of the organisation, and therefore could be refused. Andplace it in a stand-alone process, where refusal is guaranteed, there was not opt-in or out when introduced.(129).



This conference instructs the Fórsa Civil Service Divisional Executive to enter into negotiations with theDepartment of Public Expenditure and Reform with the aim of securing a positive right to e-working withinthe civil service. (132).


Motion 130 – Wexford General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek a review of the work-sharing arrangements to include looking at the possibility of working the 9-3 pattern over a three or fourday week and 9-2 pattern over a five day week. The 9-3 pattern over three days is the same as morningsonly. (135).


Motion 131 – Third Secretaries

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to work towards the ending ofdiscrimination against unmarried partners of civil servants who work abroad on behalf of the State. (136).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek an alleviation of thesituation where staff who care for children with special needs are obliged to take their own leave toaccompany their children to hospital appointments and to implement a scheme where, on a case by casebasis, that paid special leave can be granted. (138).



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This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to review all family friendlyinitiatives within the civil service per department under the equality agenda with Department of PublicExpenditure Reform. (139).


Motion 134 – DoE Inspectors

This conference recognises the importance of the development of professional and technical staff, andthat both learning and career development opportunities are provided to professional and technical staff.In order to ensure that professional and technical staff gain adequate career development opportunitiesthat Fórsa seek agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that the careerdevelopment of professional and technical staff is clearly identified in all learning and developmentstrategies and plans and that the 70-20-10 rule is recognised in these strategies and that 70% ofdevelopment comes through on the job experience combined with learning opportunities. (140).


Time Unit I 15:35 to 16:15 – Friday

Motions 135 - 148

Promotion and training

Motion 135 – Forensic Science

This conference directs the Civil Service Divisional Executive to actively work to secure timely promotionalopportunities for scientific and technical, and that technical and professional staff are given theopportunity to attain training and experience in the competency areas required for promotion. (85).



This conference recognises the importance of team working and collaboration in the civil service and inincluding professional and technical staff in decision making. This conference calls on Fórsa to work withthe Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to require team working and collaborative approachesand training at a senior management level in the civil service to ensure civil service professional andtechnical grades are included in decision making processes. (141).



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This conference instructs Fórsa to negotiate for the removal of the two year rule clause, which requires aperson to remain in a post for two years on recruitment and promotion, as it is causing industrial relationsissues. (105).



This conference recognises that lack of civil service grade equivalence for some civil servant technicalgrades is impeding their access to cross stream promotion, and to cross departmental opportunities. Thisconference calls on Fórsa to continue to work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform toremove current barriers to civil servant technical grades access to cross stream promotion, by establishingcivil service grade equivalence for staff currently employed in civil service technical grades, by ensuringthat existing cross streaming senior management grades are part of the recruitment and assessmentprocess and by ensuring that civil servant professional technical grades are provided with opportunitiesfor equivalent training, work experience and developmental opportunities in the competency areasrequired. (142).



This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to actively work to secure timelypromotional and developmental opportunities for professional, scientific and technical grades and thattechnical staff are given the opportunity to attain training and experience in the competency areasrequired for promotion. (143).



This conference recognises that providing developmental opportunities through on the job workexperience along with formal training is key to the development of professional and technical staff. Thisconference calls on Fórsa to work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to removecurrent barriers to civil servant technical grades access to cross stream opportunities by includingprofessional and technical staff in the protocol on principal officer mobility. (144).



This conference calls on the incoming Divisional Executive Committee and relevant full time officials towork with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to develop a one-learning training course forinterview and promotional skills, designed for members seeking to advance their career. (145).



Given the anecdotal evidence of a large number of staff suffering from work related stress conferencecalls on the Divisional Executive Committee to engage fully with the live well work well programme beingrolled out by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to ensure that there is effectiveand professional delivery of training in stress awareness and management and mental health awareness toall staff. (146).



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This conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to request all Government departments toprovide stress management training or courses to their staff. (147).



This conference calls on the Divisional Executive Committee to obtain commitment from the seniormanagement of Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection that no member of staff will beasked to engage in new work practices without a comprehensive training programme being implementedprior to roll out of new practices. (148).


Motion 145 – Forensic Science

This conference directs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to seek access to continualprofessional development (CPD) pathways for professional and technical civil service grades within theservice and that such development be encouraged and monitored. (149).


Motion 146 – Climate Action & Environment – Professional/Technical

This conference notes the job evaluation scheme currently being operated in the health service.Conference calls for the implementation of a similar scheme in the civil service. (150).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek job evaluation for clericalofficers in the Department of Social Protection, and in Garda areas inclusive of Garda vetting. (151).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to provide practical suggestionson how to integrate job evaluation into the civil service. (152).



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General


This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to review circular 14/80 andincrease the number of days to allow elected activists carry out union duties. (153).



This conference notes that some branches in former constituencies (CPSU, PSEU, IMPACT) may wish tomerge with other branches in the same department/agency or within the same location.

This conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive to develop clear guidelines andpolicies on how this should be managed by October 31st 2018, ahead of the AGM season. The guidelinesshould at a minimum provide guidance on

• How best to administratively merge the branches,

• How such decisions should be endorsed by members of the branches,

• And the impact it will have on the branches voting arrangements in each constituency. (154).



That vacancies in the roles of chair, treasurer and secretary should be notified to the membership as soonas they occur in the course of the working year.

That such vacancies should be filled by appointment from among existing committee members as soon aspossible and the names of such appointees should be made know to the members. (155).


Motion 152 – Architectural Engineering and Heritage Services

This conference calls on Fórsa to ensure that union officials accompany staff representatives to allmeetings of departmental councils so as to enable the staff side to be effectively represented at thesemeetings, and further that Fórsa take steps as a matter of priority to ensure that there is co-ordinationbetween former IMPACT, CPSU and PSEU branches in regard to representing staff interests atdepartmental council. (156).


Motion 153 – Civil Service No.1

This conference calls for the inclusion of civil service grades in the state’s industrial relations machineryincluding the WRC for dealing with disputes and claims. (157).


Time Unit J 16:15 to 16.45 – Friday

Motions 149 - 159


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This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek the integration of theGarda Vetting Unit into the national mobility scheme. (158).



Recognising that in 2017, Irish travellers were recognised as a distinct ethnic group.

Further recognising that unemployment, education and poverty rates for travellers shows that communityis significantly worse off than the national averages.

Recognising that there was a civil service Traveller Internship Programme, which had a recommendation“that the Traveller Internship Programme, as a valuable initiative in mainstreaming, should be repeated”, hasnot been repeated as of yet because of the financial emergency.

This conference calls on the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to work with the official side,including the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to study the recommendations from theprevious iteration of the Traveller Internship Programme, and to relaunch this, or a similar initiative as soonas is practical. (159).



This divisional conference instructs the Civil Service Divisional Executive and Civil Service DivisionalCouncil to oppose NATO membership given the unique, adverse effect and danger this poses to civilservants and to seek the support of other unions in this regard. (160).



This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to engage with the providers of theincome continuance plan to streamline the processing of claims to be more user friendly for those whohave to avail of it. Unfortunately, those who need to avail of it are already in a weaker condition and thisprocess adds an additional stressful burden. (161).



This conference understands that there are thousands of tickets currently raised on the SDM systemwaiting to be added to the system. With this in mind conference instructs the Divisional ExecutiveCommittee to seek to have all outstanding fixes to be completed on all the Department of EmploymentAffairs and Social Protection IT systems prior to taking on any new IT systems. (162).



That this Civil Service Divisional Conference instructs the incoming Civil Service Divisional Executive topursue the restoration of time that civil servants work for free as part of the civil service changemanagement programme. (163).


Time Unit K 16.45 Sharp – Friday

Close of conference


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APPENDIX 1

Motions referred to national conference

Note: These motions will not be using the numbers below at national conference.


Amend Rule 24 as follows

24 (i) Delete “and of each Divisional conference” in line three and “by the Divisional Executive” in line seven.

Delete existing rule 24 (vii) and replace with the following.

There shall be a separate Standing Orders Committee for each divisional conference whose duty it shall be to prepare the agenda foreach meeting of that divisional conference and to make recommendations to each such meeting on such matters as the StandingOrders Committee may deem necessary for the efficient and expeditious dispatch of the business of the meeting or as may bereferred to it by the National Executive, by the Divisional Executive, or by the meeting.

(a) The Standing Orders Committee shall have no role in deciding Union policy, and its members shall not vote atconference.

(b) The Standing Orders Committee shall consist of members elected at biennial meetings of the divisional conferenceswho may not while members of the Standing Orders Committee, act as delegates to any meeting of the Divisionalconference or as members of the National Executive or the Divisional Executive.

(c) Each biennial meeting of each divisional conference, shall elect seven members to the Standing Orders Committee ofthe divisional conference from nominees of branches with members in that division, provided that

(a) Such nominees shall be selected from the members in that Division

(b) Such members terms of office shall commence on the following 1 July and shall cease on 30 June two yearslater, and

(c) When a vacancy occurs the relevant Divisional Executive shall appoint a member in that division to fill thevacancy.

(d) The members of the Standing Orders Committee shall elect a chairperson from amongst themselves.

(e) The quorum for meetings of the Standing Orders Committee shall be four members present at thecommencement of the meeting.

Motion 2 – FGE

This conference endorses the concept of a minimum living wage of €11.50 per hour for all those employed in the public service.


This conference instructs the National Executive Committee and relevant Divisional Executives to ensure that candidates from onesector of the public sector who are successful in an open competition held in another sector are no longer required to start at the firstpoint of their new scale and that their service within their former grade is recognised in establishing the point at which they enter thescale of their post.

Motion 4 – Health

This conference instructs Fórsa to negotiate with management to ensure that a minimum advertisement period of two weeks appliesto all public jobs advertised through the Public Appointments Service.


This conference instruct the incoming Executive Committee to seek the same terms and conditions for all clerical officers across theboard, in view of the fact Fórsa are now representing clerical officers across all departments.


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This conference calls on the Central Executive Committee of Fórsa to seek to end the practice of Fórsa members being allocated areduced number of days leave on promotion and that annual leave days lost to our members promoted since 2008 be restored.


This conference calls on the Central Executive Committee of Fórsa to seek to have the stringent sick leave entitlements of Fórsamembers restored to their pre-economic crash levels.


This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to have the seven day unauthorised sick leave rolled back to a 12 monthperiod.

Motion 9 – OPW (PSEU)

This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to seek to ensure that an immediate review of the sick leaveprovisions/regulations is undertaken. In particular, review the clause where work sharers are excessively penalised when sick leave istaken ie, sick leave is calculated as if the employee is employed on a full time basis


This conference notes with concern accommodation developments where civil servants are working in an environment where theyfear they will be displaced to facilitate private interests.


This conference calls on the Executive Committee to seek to allow for civil servants partaking in the career break scheme to take upemployment in other public service offices outside of the civil service.

Motion 12 – Portlaoise General

This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to ensure that position of Fórsa in any future negotiations with thegovernment should be the following;

There should be a return for all civil servants to pre-Haddington road working hours as standard, with no commensurate reduction inpay.


That this conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to ensure that the restoration of the pre-Haddington Road workinghours (pro-rata) remains a priority and every effort is made to ensure that the reductions are reversed in as short a timeframe aspossible.

Motion 14 – Dublin Central CS Clerical

This conference notes the important role the trade union movement plays in promoting equality in the workplace and in the widersociety. Conference also recognises that women make up the majority of the Fórsa membership and that many of our most activemembers are women. This conference instructs the incoming National Executive Committee to bring forward practical initiatives tofacilitate a greater balance between men and women elected representatives on our national committees including the NationalExecutive Committee and the Divisional Executive Committees.

Motion 15 – Dublin Central CS Clerical

This conference notes the role played by family members many of who are grandparents in providing childcare for others in theirextended family. Increasingly younger women can only hope to access lower paid employment if their parents/grandparents providechild minding support as they cannot afford external professional child care. This conference instructs the incoming NationalExecutive Committee and equality and diversity committees to redouble this union’s efforts to secure better and more affordablechildcare support for parents seeking to re-enter the workforce.


This conference requests the National Executive Committee to establish a sub-committee to address the issue of indirectdiscrimination in the workplace. The sub-committee could consider issues such as the identification of indirect discrimination,assisting members in addressing it, and educating staff working in HR units to do the same.


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Each year at conference the delegate pack contains a booklet/ handout titled: Action on Motions at conference, for the previous yearie, ADC 2017, gets the handout for ADC 2016 motions.

As delegates we report back to our branches regarding the motions, and some motions require additional feedback, it is vital that thebranches get the proper feedback/information in time for their own AGM, and before motions are put forward for the next conference.

This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to seek to issue to all branches no later than six months after the finalday of the conference a handout “action on motions at conference.”


This conference instructs the incoming executive to provide a member’s only login section on the new Fórsa website for access toinformation and make claims.

Motion 19 – Portlaoise General

This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to ensure that all motions to be discussed must be listed in thenominations, motions and amendment to motions book for that conference. This is to enable all delegates an appropriate opportunityto examine each motion and to make relevant observations for issues for debate at conference, if required. If it should arise, when anemergency motion is brought to standing orders, careful consideration should be given to it, before it goes before the delegates toensure that the motion does not involve moral conscience or personal belief which is not a union issue.

Motion 20 – Aviation and Marine Radio Officers

That this conference calls on the incoming Executive Committee to defend and protect the rights of any employee wishing toparticipate in any trade union of their choice at which ever level they desire without coercion or impediment.


This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to seek an office in Waterford/South East for the new Fórsa union.


This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to provide a centralised help desk in Fórsa for both members andrepresentatives so that members can access pertinent advice on any work/union issue that they encounter in the workplace.


This conference calls on the incoming Executive Committee to ensure that the structure of the new union, with regard to the make-upof branches will be based on departmental structure and not by grade based on geographic locations.


This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee that in the interest of the trade union movement all contractorsemployed by Fórsa must be members of a trade union. This will be for the greater good of the trade union movement in general.


This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to ensure continuity of information, both on-line and general iscommunicated to all Fórsa members in a timely fashion to enable frontline staff carry out their job to the highest standard possible.


This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to devise a medical package similar to An Garda Siochana – GardaMedical Aid for members wishing to avail of health cover for medical expenses, hospital visits and any other expenses there involved .

Motion 27 – Wexford General

This conference instructs the incoming Executive Committee to negotiate a discounted/affordable corporate health insurance rate onbehalf of all existing and new union members, through the various health insurers.


This conference instructs the incoming National Executive Committee to seek to have 19th April declared as a bank holiday incommemoration of the declaration of the Irish Republic on the 18th of April 1949.


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Considering that the new union Fórsa will need to be able to swiftly mobilise all its campaigning resources, this conference instructsthe new National Executive Committee to initiate a drive to have as many retired members as possible stay in union membershipfollowing their retirement from work.


This conference supports the repeal of the eighth amendment to the Irish Constitution.


This conference instructs Fórsa to negotiate to have USC charges phased out within the timeframe of the next national payagreement. (11).

Amendment to Motion 31 – Foreign Affairs Dublin Clerical

This conference recognises the serious flaws in the current income tax system and its unnecessary complexity. Conference calls forUSC and PAYE to be replaced by a new income tax that draws on the positive features of both while seeking to avoid their flaws.Specifically, this would mean ending the array of exemptions and reliefs under PAYE that primarily benefit the higher paid, whileincorporating tax credits that benefit low and middle-income earners, something that USC lacks.

The amendment to motion 31 is out of order.

Motion 32 – Tipperary General

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to determine our entitlement to an old age contributorypension at 65 years of age. (164).

Motion 33 – Revenue Tallaght

This conference instructs the incoming Divisional Executive Committee to seek a review of the pension entitlements of post 95entrants and why they cannot get their full pension entitlement from Revenue based on their full pension deductions through payrolland their Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection pension as they have paid full A1 stamps. (91).


The Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 currently does not contain specific provision for theestablishment of a facility for the purchase of additional pension benefits by single scheme members.

This conference calls on Fórsa to actively pursue agreement and implementation of a facility for the purchase of additional pensionbenefits by single scheme members under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. (92).

Motion 35 – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (CPSU)

This conference instructs the Divisional Executive, National Executive and the appropriate full-time staff to campaign to abolish theunjust two-tier pension model and grant post-2012 recruits equal access to the final salary pension scheme.

Conference instructs the Divisional Executive Committee to provide an update to members on the campaign at least once every threemonths, with the first update on 1st August 2018 at the latest, continuing until either the mandate is achieved or the next CivilService Divisional Conference. (93).


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APPENDIX 2

Late motions

Motion 36 – Social Protection (former CPSU)

This ADC instructs the incoming executive to progress a fair and equitable treatment of our pension the lump sum as is applied to thePAYE employee in the private sector, that is that the maximum tax free lump sum of €200,000 be applied.

Motion 37 – Social Protection (former CPSU)

This ADC instructs the incoming executive to progress a fair and equitable treatment of our members, who are and have retired withpension of up to €60 or more per week, less than the state pension. Our members must be entitled to at least the equivalent of thestate pension, if they are to survive retirement and not be forced into a life of poverty. Many of our colleagues have worked for morethan 20 years and I believe they are entitled to at least the equivalent to the state pension.


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Fórsa divisional conference 2018

Motion, amendment and nominationwithdrawal form

..........................................................................................................................................................Branch wishes to withdraw:

[Please use BLOCK capitals]

Election ...................................................................................... Nomination ............................................................................








Name of principal delegate ............................................................................................................................................................

Signature of principal delegate ....................................................................................................................................................

Date ............................................................................................ Time ..........................................................................................

SOC signature .......................................................................... Date .............................................. Time ................................

Motion number

Motion number

Motion number

Motion number

Motion number

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion


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Fórsa divisional conference 2018

Motion, amendment and nominationwithdrawal form

..........................................................................................................................................................Branch wishes to withdraw:

[Please use BLOCK capitals]









Name of principal delegate ............................................................................................................................................................

Signature of principal delegate ....................................................................................................................................................

Date ............................................................................................ Time ..........................................................................................

SOC signature .......................................................................... Date .............................................. Time ................................

Motion number

Motion number

Motion number

Motion number

Motion number

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

Amendment to motion

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Fórsa Trade Union

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Documents

CSAgendaCover Layout 1 - forsa.ie · for debate, each motion and/or amendment shall be ... of the motion/amendment under discussion has the right to speak briefly against the