asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will give details of the arbitrations award made and not yet paid; if he will clarify Government policy on these awards; if he will give a commitment that the Government intend to pay the awards; if there are difficulties in relation to arbitration awards, if they have been discussed with the unions concerned; and if the necessary finance allocations in the 1986 Estimates were approved recently by the Government.
Written Answers. - Public Service Arbitration Awards.
33.
All of the awards in question are now subject to the procedures in the relevant schemes of conciliation and arbitration. As I have already made clear publicly, I have been authorised by the Government to negotiate a comprehensive pay agreement with the public service unions to cover the 25th round and all other pay-related matters and which will take account of the serious Exchequer position. The treatment of all claims for special pay increases, including existing awards, will naturally fall to be considered in any such talks. I hope that it will be possible to conclude such negotiations as quickly as possible with a view to resolving all outstanding pay questions to the satisfaction of the parties concerned.
It would not be appropriate for me at this stage to make any comment on the question of a financial provision. As the reply to the first part of the question is in the form of a tabular statement I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.
Following is the information requested:
Special/grade claims that have been signed by the Arbitrator and not paid
|
Grade |
Details of claim |
Finding |
|
Civil Service |
||
|
(i) Watch Supervisors (ATCO II) in Air Traffic Control Section |
For allowance of £826 p.a. |
Allowance increased to average increment in pay scale w.e.f. 1/1/85 |
|
(ii) Assistant Principal, Prin- cipal and analagous grades in the Civil Service |
For c 43% pay increase |
3% from 1/1/863% from 1/7/86 (interim award) |
|
(iii) Local Government Audi- tor, Department of the Environment |
For Principal Officer (Stan- dard) scale—c 22% at max |
9% (1983 PSPA phasing) |
|
(iv) Assistant Regional Direc- tor, National Manpower Service, Department of Labour |
For Assistant Principal (stan- dard) scale—13.6% at max |
Assistant principal (standard) scale—13.6% at max (1983 PSPA phasing) |
|
(v) Assistant Agricultural Inspectors |
For 40% pay increase |
Engineer III scale awarded with- out first point—equivalent to aver age increase of 26.4% |
|
(vi) Executive Officers as acting Registrars in Dis- trict Courts |
For the payment of allow- ances |
Allowance of £600 to be paid in certain cases |
|
Education |
||
|
(i) Teachers |
For special pay increase (amount not specified) |
10% in two phases—5% from 1/9/85 and 5% from 1/3/86 |
|
Health area |
||
|
(i) Health Board Fire Pre- vention Officers |
For parity in pay and con- ditions with Second Fire Officer in local authorities |
Claimants pay to be related to that of Third Fire officer, Cork Corporation pending future claims |
|
(ii) Assistant Matron in Psy- chiatric Unit, Galway Regional Hospital. |
For application of Chief Nursing Officer salary scale |
Payment of an allowance rec ommended |
|
(iii) Maintenance Supervisors in health boards other than the Eastern Health Board |
For salary revision |
Increase in pay recommended |
|
(iv) Night Superintendents and Night Sisters |
For increase in night duty premium |
Concession recommended in accordance with clause 4.7 of 1983 PSPA |
|
(v) GMS Pharmacists |
For 16% increase in fees and doubling of advance payment |
5% increase in fees and 50% increase in advance payment rec ommended |
|
Local Authorities |
||
|
(i) Civil Defence Officers and Assistant Civil Defence Officers |
For higher salary scales |
Increase in pay recommended |
|
(ii) Town Engineers, Bray and Tralee |
For salary revision |
Increase in pay recommended (clause 4.7 of 1983 PSPA appli cable) |
|
(iii) Third Fire Officers, Cork Fire Brigade |
For removal of a pay anomaly vis-á-vis Station Officers |
Increase in pay recommended |
|
(iv) Rent Investigation Officers, Dublin Corpor ation |
For salary revision |
Upgrading recommended |
|
(v) County Development Officers (non-designated counties) |
For pay parity with County Development Officers in desig nated counties (almost 15%) |
Concession recommended |
|
(vi) County Finance Officers |
For 35% increase in pay |
Phased increase of 15% rec ommended |
|
(vii) County Secretaries |
For 35% increase in pay |
Phased increase of 15% recommended |