Gormley promoted unpaid leave scheme for council workers
Issued : Monday 7 December, 2009
Statement by Joanna Tuffy TD
The government decision to collapse the talks about public service reform and reject union proposals for unpaid leave, is all the more inexplicable given that the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, wrote to all local authorities in June of this year authorising all councils to grant unpaid leave to their employees.
‘Circular E.L. 09/09 – Shorter Working Year Scheme’ was issued to councils on June 5th and provides for a number of measures, including the introduction of unpaid special leave. The scheme is open to council employees in established or unestablished positions and can range from two weeks to 13 weeks.
If unpaid leave is acceptable for those working in local authorities, why was it rejected by the government as part of a package of measures to reduce the overall public sector wage bill? The two Green Ministers in government were reported to be particularly opposed to the unpaid leave proposal, yet here was Minister Gormley promoting such a scheme for his own area of responsibility less than six months ago.
The government’s handling of the negotiations last week has robbed us of the opportunity of major reform in the public service, dealt a fatal blow to social partnership and leaves us facing the prospect of industrial action across the public service.
