Elected officers ‘punished’ for role in Defence Forces
PDFORRA, the association representing soldiers, airmen and sailors, said barrack chiefs were even using the military discipline system to target elected officers of the association.
PDFORRA said it had no mechanism to address the problem as the military discipline system was exempt from the established grievance procedures.
“Military legal procedures are being used to victimise elected representatives,” said PDFORRA deputy general secretary Simon Devereux.
“This abuse is wrong and it undermines confidence in the disciplinary procedures of the Defence Forces.”
Speaking at the association’s annual delegate conference in Waterford, he said one of the main purposes of military law was to maintain good order and discipline.
He said the military discipline system was chiefly concerned with the trial of members in respect of offences contrary to military law and was administered by tribunals.
PDFORRA general secretary Gerry Rooney told delegates there had been an increase in such cases in recent years.
“I believe that this can partly be explained by an effort by certain elements to silence or nullify PDFORRA’s attempts to eradicate bullying and create a more harmonious workplace.”
He said protection against victimisation was provided, at least in theory, under a directive by the Minister for Defence.
“This assures elected representatives that they will not be disadvantaged or discriminated against as a result of carrying out representative duties. That said, there are no practical measures in place to apply the minister’s assurances,” Mr Rooney pointed out. He said that PDFORRA had raised the issue with the internal conciliation council, but that no progress had been made.
Mr Rooney said the issue was complicated by the use of the military disciplinary system by local commanders for their own ends.
PDFORRA president Willie Webb said certain barrack commanders had decided they would “punish, harass and charge” representatives in order to force them out of involvement in the association.
“It has come to the stage where any member who considers going on the district committee and becoming a representative of PDFORRA automatically puts his head above the parapet and runs the risk of being singled out, unable to get courses or overseas but will get lots of duties, exercises and disciplining through ridiculous charges and harassment,” he said.
