Sean O'Riordan: All our military personnel want is to be treated fairly

Members of the Defences Forces will never down tools. This may be why they are badly treated in terms of pay and conditions, writes Defence Correspondent Sean O’Riordan

Defence Minister Simon Coveney addressing last year’s PDForra confrence. Frustration among members of the Defence Forces has led to calls from PDForra — and more recently Raco — for the right to trade union representation. Picture Dan Linehan

It’s hardly surprising, given their recent experience of unequal treatment in pay negotiations, that both representative associations in the Defence Forces — which represent more than 90% of the country’s military — are seeking union representation at national pay talks through associate membership of the umbrella body ICTU.

In an era of geopolitical and military uncertainty worldwide, it may be very foolish if our politicians don’t wake up, especially as the Defence Forces are the poorest paid of all public servants.