The association representing 6,500 enlisted members of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps is hosting its annual delegates conference in Co Meath from today.
Members of PDFORRA will convene in the Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim over the next three days.
The first day of the conference will see delegates addressed by Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy.
The conference is also expected to hear more than 55 different motions on a wide variety of topics.
PDFORRA’s National Executive has several motions seeking what it calls the fair and equitable introduction of the "Working Time Directive".
It will also call for the "provision of proper allowances" for additional hours worked by its members and will raise the issue of retaining personnel in service.
PDFORRA says that there will be a "significant number of motions" in relation to the Naval Service, which it says has seen ships fail to be put to sea due to a lack of crews.
Later in the week, the first Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, Paulyn Marrinan Quinn SC, will also address delegates on the history of the establishment of her office and initial reports of the Independent Monitoring Group.
The conference has traditionally been held in October. However, it has been moved up the calendar as part of structural changes to bring the organisation in line with the wider trade union movement.