Controversial proposals put forward by the Department of Finance to abolish privilege days - or additional leave given to staff in the Civil Service - have been rejected by an arbitration board.
In what was one of the most high-profile changes sought by the Department of Finance for Civil Service personnel under the Croke Park Agreement, it had proposed that senior staff would lose the two privilege days which they currently receive each year.
Those in middle grades would lose one privilege day and have one converted to annual leave. Those in more junior positions would have the two privilege days incorporated into an additional annual leave provision.
The Department of Finance had told a Civil Service Arbitration Board hearing last month that the measures proposed would generate productivity savings of €4.6 million per year and lead to greater administrative efficiencies.
It said that privilege days were out-moded, represented an obstacle to the achievement of efficiency and had attracted an amount of adverse public comment.
The Department of Finance said that the cost reduction and productivity requirements of the Croke Park Agreement necessitated the implementation of its proposals on privilege days.
However the Civil Service Arbitration Board found that the management side “had not demonstrated significant savings consistent with the transformation that is required”.
“There was no significant analysis of the fact that while major cost apparently saved were made at principal officer and assistant principal officer level, those very grades may be required to work extensive overtime without any remuneration or time off in lieu.”
The board said that the changes to privilege days sought by the Department of Finance would have created “a sense of grievance disproportionate to any gains which might accrue”.
