Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 29 Nov 1983

Vol. 346 No. 3

Written Answers. - OPW Rates of Pay.

378.

Mr. Taylor

asked the Minister for Finance the weekly rates of pay at present being paid to general operative grades employed by the Office of Public Works in building-related categories, the appropriate rates which will be payable, and if pay is adjusted under the appropriate outside agreement; the date these will take effect from and if arrangements have been made for the payment of the 1st phase adjustment.

Minister for Finance (Mr. Dukes)

The information requested is as follows:

Grade	Present Weekly Rate of Pay	Differential Over Basic Rate
(1)	(2)	(3)
General Operative	£102.91
Helper/Driver		13.5p an hour
Chargehand	Basic rate as for General Operative plus differential as shown in column (3)	£8.38 a week
Assistant Storekeeper Clerk	£10.83 a week
Senior Assistant Storekeeper Clerk	£14.83 a week
Assistant Storekeeper Clerk in Charge	£18.83 a week
Stokers		£9.70 a week

Various other miscellaneous building trade differentials are paid from time to time on an irregular basis.

Negotiations are at present ongoing on the implementation of the appropriate outside agreement. It is, therefore, not possible to show the revised rates of pay, the dates from which they will be applicable nor to make arrangements for payment of the 1st Phase Adjustment.

When these negotiations are complete the information requested will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.

379.

Mr. Taylor

asked the Minister for Finance the revised weekly rate of wages, including bonus, payable to the principal categories of drainage workers including drivers, employed by the Office of Public Works from 1 November 1983.

Minister for Finance (Mr. Dukes)

The information requested is as follows:

Grade	Rate of Pay from 1st October 1983	Differential over basic rate	Remarks and/or other allowances
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)
Labourer	£112.00 to £121.31
Drivers of Compressors, Pumps Concrete Mixers, Stonecutters and Locos	Basic rate as for Labourer plus differentials as on column (3)	£1.61 a week
Tradesmen's Helpers	£1.61 a week
Drillers	£1.04 a week
Oil storemen	£4.17 a week
Drivers of Trucks, Vans, Tractors and Dumpers	£5.99 a week
Drivers of Special Heavy Vehicles	£7.10 a week
Trainee Excavator and Dozer Drivers (not in full charge of machines	£3.55 a week
Chargehands	£110.95 to £120.26	£8.43 a week
Excavator and Dozer Drivers(in full charge of machines)	£96.27 to £105.58 plus differential as shown on column (3) and travel allowance as shown on column (4)
Up to and including ? c.yd.	Up to £7.33 a week	£15.65 a week*
Over ? c.yd. and up to and including 1 c.yd.	Up to £8.73 a week	£15.65 a week*
Over 1 c.yd. and up to and including 2 c.yds.	Up to £9.98 a week	£15.65 a week*
Over 2 c.yds. and up to and including 3 c.yds.	Up to £11.93 a week	£15.65 a week*
Over 3 c.yds.	Up to £13.05 a week	£15.65 a week*
Gangers		Up to £14.18 a week	£15.65 a week*
Works Clerks	£117.59 to £140.96
Storekeeper Clerks
Work Study Assessors Grade III
Watchmen Night	£16.80 per watch
Day	£16.55 per watch
Boy Labourers	£44.80 to £78.40
	(depending on age)

Grade	Rate from 1st October, 1982	Differential over basic rate	Remarks
Work Study Assessors Grade II	£158.05 to £166.54		At the time of writing this reply, settlement has not been reached on the revised rates for these grades. The rates shown in column (2) are therefore the pre-23rd round rates i.e. rates from 1 October 1982. See footnote hereunder.
Work Study Assessors Grade I	£173.87
Foremen Grade III	£158.05 to £165.50
Foremen Grade II	£166.54 to £173.87
Foremen Grade I	£176.12 to £183.39
Craftsmen	£128.28 to £141.00

N.B. The rates shown above are exclusive of bonus earnings. Incentive bonus on an arterial drainage scheme is calculated on percentage basis related to the performance of individual employees, of the work gangs and of the scheme as a whole, as well as the type of work on which employees are engaged and to the effective bonus hours of each individual employee. Bonus thus varies from employee to employee and from week to week and it would, therefore, not be feasible to quote weekly rates inclusive of bonus earnings.

* By agreement with the Unions and with effect from 1 January 1983 the travel allowance which up to that date had been included in the basic pay and differential was extracted from these rates and is now shown as a separate allowance.

Footnote

At the time of writing negotiations were still taking place on the application of a special increase under clause 4.2 (e) of the 1983 Public Service Pay Agreement to the rates of pay of gangers and excavator drivers. When these negotiations are complete and also when settlement has been reached on the revised rates of pay for work study assessors Grades II and I, for foremen grades III, II and I, and for craftsmen the then revised rates from 1 October 1983 will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.