PDForra secures compensation for alleged breaches of Working Time Directive

General Secretary of PDForra Gerard Guinan.

A Defence Forces representative association has scored two more victories in a battle with the Department of Defence by gaining compensation for alleged breaches of the Working Time Directive (WTD) and getting an increase in technical grade pay for some of its members.

PDForra, the association which represents 6,500 enlisted personnel in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, has secured a compensation settlement with the Department of Defence for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and for military personnel guarding maximum security prisoners at Portlaoise Prison.

PDForra, the association which represents 6,500 enlisted personnel in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, has secured a compensation settlement.

The association had lodged a number of claims in the courts because it felt it had no alternative as the department had been dragging its feet on settling issues relating to the WTD and providing certain cohorts with proper pay and allowance structures.

However, PDForra has now made two breakthroughs in negotiating settlements.

In the case of the EMTs, a conciliation report 10 years ago recommended they be given an upgraded payment.

Agreement reached

An agreement has now been reached which will see personnel from the CMU (Central Medical Unit) who hold the EMT qualification receive an ex-gratia payment of up to €1,500 and the upgraded payment of Technician Pay Group 3.

The agreement reached affects approximately 95 EMTs from across the country.

PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan said the EMTs have been working on the front line over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic and his association is happy to have secured some measure of compensation for them arising from their qualifications.

Mr Guinan said his association is also happy to have secured the continuation of the compensations scheme for soldiers guarding Portlaoise Prison, as the alternative would have been a return to the courts.

PDForra had claimed soldiers were not given adequate “compensatory rest periods” after working lengthy shifts at the prison. The association had secured a previous agreement with the department to address this, but it ran out on Sept 17, 2019.

A new agreement has now been reached. It will see soldiers receive €100 ex-gratia plus an additional day's leave where a breach of the WTD is shown.

“Our members have continued to do their jobs in circumstances where there have been, in our estimation, breaches of the Working Time Directive. These cases have been going on for an exceptionally long time with PDForra highlighting difficulties as far back as 2013. From PDForra’s perspective, it is entirely regrettable that we are having to pursue matters of rights through the courts on such a frequent basis,” Mr Guinan said.

“From the association’s perspective it's not right for the taxpayer, it's not right for our members and not right to deny members time with their families,” he added.

Mr Guinan said PDForra's national executive has vowed to continue to fight for the rights of its members, including money they maintain is still owed in allowances for chefs and members of the elite Army Ranger Wing (ARW).