PDForra step closer to ICTU affiliation

Rank and file members of the Defence Forces could be on a collision course with the Government and senior military management after the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) announced it would allow their representative association, PDForra, to affiliate with it.

PDForra, which represents 6,500 enlisted members of the army, naval service, and air corps, has welcomed the move as affiliation will allow it to have a voice at the next round of national pay talks.

Defence Forces personnel have been excluded from national pay talks in the past.

However, minister with responsibility for defence, Paul Kehoe, and his Cabinet colleagues could veto the move.

Defence Forces chief of staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, recently warned the Government that permitting PDForra to link up with the trade union movement could have implications for State security.

PDForra sought affiliation with ICTU after it won a case in the European Court of Justice for the right of freedom of association with the trade union umbrella body. However, having affiliation with a union is still against Irish military regulations.

PDForra president Mark Keane said as far back as 1994 his association had discussed the idea of seeking affiliation. He added that PDForra had sought association with ICTU for the sole reason of getting a voice in pay talks.

The Defence Forces are the lowest paid of all public servants and PDForra believes its members have been taken advantage of as they have sworn an oath never to take strike action.

“We will not, nor never will, seek the right to take any form of industrial action. And we are willing to sign anything to that effect,” said Mr Keane

Patricia King, general secretary of ICTU, confirmed that the congress’s executive council had approved in principle the application made by PDForra for affiliation. “Further discussions are necessary to bring this matter to a conclusion,” said Ms King.