Sunday payments for immigration staff

Fórsa has reached a settlement in a long-running dispute over Sunday payments for border management staff, which has avoided disruptive industrial action at Dublin airport. The deal will introduce a payment with effect from January 2020, and sees the issue of retrospective payments referred to the civil service conciliation and arbitration scheme.

The outcome follows an earlier agreement by to engage an independent facilitator to help seek a resolution after Fórsa members had balloted overwhelming for industrial action in the row over management’s refusal to pay a Sunday premium.

Fórsa, which has been seeking the payment for more than three years, argued that it was a requirement under Irish and European working time legislation.

Fórsa, which has been seeking the payment for more than three years, argued that it was a requirement under Irish and European working time legislation. The union also said the disputed Sunday premium existed elsewhere in the civil service.

Fórsa’s head of civil service Derek Mullen said a very important outcome had been achieved for members in Dublin airport. “This is testament to the solidarity shown by members in the airport. The question of retrospection is yet to be finalised, but the substantive claim was achieved and so it was agreed to refer the question to adjudication,” he said.