Gardaí may ignore new rosters in dispute with Garda Commissioner

Gardaí are considering ignoring a new roster when it is introduced in coming weeks and instead continuing to turn up for the 12-hour shifts they are currently working.

The idea, which is being discussed within the Garda Representative Association (GRA), would cause chaos in the force and seriously undermine the authority of Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.

It would also put rank-and-file gardaí at odds with their colleagues in more senior ranks, who will be responsible for the smooth introduction of the new rosters.

The precise plan of action by the GRA in opposition to the roster changes will be decided on at a special delegate conference in Kilkenny on September 27th. However, several ideas are already being discussed behind the scenes in the advance of the meeting.

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They include continuing to work the current rosters; refusing to use their own mobile phones or laptops for work; withdrawing service, a strike in all but name; and opting out of the enforcement of some offences that involve fixed-charge notices or “tickets”.

Under legislation, Garda members are not permitted to go on strike and it is an offence to organise a strike. However, in the past the legislation has effectively been sidestepped by mass actions involving Garda members not turning up for work having, in theory, each individually decided to withdraw their labour.

One such action occurred in 1998 when Garda members rang in sick in an action that became know as ‘blue flu’ and arose after a dispute over pay. More recently, in 2016, both the GRA and Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors decided to withdraw their service for four consecutive Fridays in another dispute over pay. The impasse was resolved with agreement to grant Garda members payment for a 15-minute period of “parading”, or a briefing, before each shift.

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Some Garda sources said in the current rosters dispute rank and file gardaí could opt out of enforcement of some crimes that involve tickets or fines. While much of that system, especially for road traffic enforcement, is automated, parts of it depend on Garda members inputting the details of an offence on to a hand-held device in order that a fixed-charge notice is generated.

Some public-order offences are also enforced via fines and depend on Garda members inputting details in a notebook or device in order for the offence to be recorded and the fine generated.

The GRA, which represents about 11,000 rank-and-file gardaí in a near 14,000-strong force, has stressed the actions it may take would not be decided until its special delegate conference was concluded. Last week it unveiled the results of a ballot of no confidence in Mr Harris, with 98.7 per cent voting no confidence in him.

That vote was organised arising from the long-running dispute over rosters. Most Garda members have been working contingency rosters for more than three years, which were put in place specifically for the pandemic. They involve four days on, four off shift patterns worked in a 12-hour shifts. These have proven very popular with rank-and-file gardaí as – due to shifts being longer – they work fewer shifts per month and are entitled to more unsocial hours allowances.

However, Mr Harris has insisted the current rosters were now undermining street policing. He said annual leave was measured in days rather than hours and, as a result of the system with 12-hour shifts, 60 working hours per Garda member was being lost annually.

When the Garda reverts back to the pre-pandemic rosters, from November 6th, Mr Harris said it would create 13,000 extra policing hours per week. He was not “not going to delay that uplift in visibility and performance” by pushing back the change to allow for more talks with the GRA.