Gardaí in Mayo ready to take a stand over roster dispute

Mayo’s representative on the Garda Representative Association (GRA) says rank-and-file officers do not want to proceed with a so-called ‘Blue Flu’ — a strike in all but name — but feel undervalued and abandoned.

Garda Ronan O’Grady also said gardaí believe the public is behind them and they take “great pride” in the support they are receiving from the people in Mayo and beyond.

The GRA last week announced the withdrawal of service on November 10 next and Garda O’Grady, who is stationed in Newport, has stressed they are not being listened to.

Rank-and-file gardaí are also set to refuse to work voluntary overtime for a series of Tuesdays — namely October 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31. These dates include Halloween and Budget Day.

“GRA members do not wish to take this action and it is every GRA member’s individual choice whether they take this action or not but a lot of the members I have spoken to feel they have been abandoned by the commissioner,” Garda O’Grady said.

“Gardaí don’t want to take any form of industrial action but feel they are not been listened to or valued under the current regime.”

Almost 99% of gardaí voted no confidence in Commissioner Drew Harris in a GRA ballot last month.

Garda O’Grady said he has not seen any form of compromise from the Commissioner.

“It’s quite the opposite, in fact,” he said. “We are very happy to go into talks on rosters if the Commissioner takes the deadline of the 6th of November off the table,” Garda O’Grady said. “It is not fair to expect any group of workers to change their work roster twice in a very short space of time.”

He said the new roster shows absolutely no consideration for gardaí in terms of their home lives or work-life balance.

Aside from the planned refusal to work overtime on the five Tuesdays in October, the withdrawal of service on November 10 would be only the second ‘Blue Flu’ in the 100-year history of the Garda, the other having occurred in May 1998.