SOLDIERS are demanding to be allowed to join the Irish Congress of Trade Unions before new public pay talks get underway in the coming months.
The recently published Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces report has recommended that army groups PDFORRA and RACO should be allowed to join the trade union group.
PDFORRA are now demanding that Defence Minister Simon Coveney gives them the green light to join ICTU before all public bodies enter pay talks which are expected to get underway in May.
All public services will enter talks with the Government to negotiate a new pay deal as the cost of living continues to rise but the military claim they are locked out of these talks because they are not allowed to be part of a trade union.
PDFORRA, which represents rank and file member of the Defence Forces, have promised Minister Coveney that they do not want the right to strike and only want to join ICTU to have a seat at the table in pay talks.
Representatives from PDFORRA will meet with Minister Coveney next week as leaders plan to demand to be allowed join forces with ICTU before the new pay talks begin.
PDFORRA President Mark Keane told the Irish Sun: “In previous agreements, it has been like the analogy of a labour ward and we’re left waiting outside to see if it's a boy or a girl.
“Everyone else is inside the room negotiating their pay and conditions and we’re brought in afterwards when it’s a fait accompli to be told ‘this is the deal and this is what you’re getting.’
“We can’t influence the deal if we’re outside the tent. The military family is excluded which means all the other uniformed services are inside the tent - the garda, fire brigade, prison officers - they’re all in there and we’re left outside.”
The Government has opposed the military joining ICTU because they fear it will make it difficult to deploy soldiers to fill gaps if other unions go on strike.
'WE'RE STILL CITIZENS'
However, PDFORRA President Mark Keane told the Irish Sun that his organisation will agree not to strike and to leave ICTU temporarily if there is an all out general strike.
He said: “Any undertaking they want from us we will give them.
“We don’t want the right to strike, we won’t withdraw our labour, we’ll withdraw from ICTU if there is a general strike for the duration.
“I know we take the oath of allegiance but we’re still citizens in uniform. We are still the same as everyone else.
"My ESB bill is the same as yours, there’s no discount because we have uniforms on so why should we be locked out of pay talks.”
The PDFORRA President believes granting the organisation access to ICTU would be an “easy win” for the Government on the back of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces report which recommended wide spread changes to the Defence Forces.
A spokesperson for the Department of Defence told the Irish Sun: "As this matter is sub-judice i.e. currently being litigated before the courts, the Department is not in a position to comment here."
In June 2020, PDFORRA filed papers in the High Court to try force the Government to allow them to join ICTU.
'CROSS PARTY SUPPORT'
The Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces report also recommended dramatic increases in funding for the Defence Forces to boost recruitment, buy new equipment and significantly increase the capacity of the navy and air corp.
PDFORRA’s Mark Keane, who is a member of the navy, said serious investment and cross party support are needed to implement the changes recommended in the report.
He told the Irish Sun: “It gives us an opportunity to address issues we've been highlighting for a number of years but it needs investment and it also needs cross party support.
“No one party can do this by themselves. The figures mentioned are considerable but can we afford not to do it?
“There’s a lot of talk about foreign direct investment but you need the security of the State to protect your infrastructure and that’s the Defence Forces.
“The Defence Forces are like the fire brigade, you have to pay for it and you hope you never use it but it’s there when it’s needed in an emergency.”