Labour Court Database __________________________________________________________________________________ File Number: CD92504 Case Number: LCR13912 Section / Act: S26(1) Parties: TEAGASC - and - MANUFACTURING, SCIENCE, FINANCE (MSF |
A dispute concerning the salary grading for the post of National Research Co-Ordinator.
Recommendation:
The Court having considered all of the views expressed by the
parties in their oral and written submissions takes the view that
the post should attract the Civil Service Principal Officer Higher
scale.
The Court recommends accordingly.
Division: MrMcGrath Mr McHenry Mr Walsh
Text of Document__________________________________________________________________
CD92504 RECOMMENDATION NO. LCR13912
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACTS, 1946 TO 1990
SECTION 26(1) INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1990
PARTIES: TEAGASC
AND
MANUFACTURING, SCIENCE, FINANCE (MSF)
SUBJECT:
1. A dispute concerning the salary grading for the post of
National Research Co-Ordinator.
BACKGROUND:
2. 1. Prior to the amalgamation of An Foras Taluntais (AFT)
and ACOT in 1988, the post of Research Coordination in AFT
was held by two of the three Deputy Directors at a salary
scale equivalent to Deputy Secretary in the Civil Service.
This post was filled at Deputy Secretary level in 1971 and
advertised at the same level when the vacancy arose in 1980.
2. Following amalgamation, the Union (MSF) representing
research staff, went to the Labour Court in 1990 pointing out
that the structure of the organisation was not adequate to
meet the requirements of the research programme and they
requested the Labour Court to recommend that a Deputy
Director (research) should be appointed to coordinate the
research programme. The Court upheld this request but did
not specify any salary scale for the post (LCR13273 refers).
3. The Union referred a claim to the Labour Relations
Commission, to have the post of National Research
Co-Ordinator graded at Assistant Secretary level. The
current structure in Teagasc comprises of a National Director
and six Programme Directors. The Programme Directors are
graded at Assistant Secretary level.
4. A conciliation conference took place on the 10th
February, 1992 where the Union argued that research is a
major feature of the work of Teagasc and that the task of
National Research Co-ordinator warranted Assistant Secretary
grade, reporting directly to the National Director. The
Company indicated that the post did not, in their view and
the view of the Departments of Agriculture and Finance,
warrant the grade of Assistant Secretary.
5. Agreement could not be reached on this issue and it was
referred to the Labour Court on the 21st August, 1992. The
Labour Court investigated the matter on the 23rd October,
1992.
UNION'S ARGUMENTS:
3. 1. The post, as advertised, requires a person of the
highest qualities. The appointee will be responsible for:-
(a) The planning, coordination and the implementation of the
total research programme of Teagasc covering 140
research personnel in six major centres.
(b) Maintaining appropriate liaison with scientific
organisations in Ireland and elsewhere in the world.
(c) Developing proposals for research funding with the EC
and other bodies at home and abroad.
(d) Ensuring that the quality of research carried out in
Ireland meets the highest quality standards.
(e) The dissemination and adoption of research results.
2. The role and functions of the National Research Coordinator
are far greater than the post of Deputy Director (Research)
in An Foras Taluntais because;
(i) there is to be one National Research Coordinator where
formerly there were two Deputy Directors responsible for
Research in An Foras Taluntais,
(ii) the Director of AFT was responsible for research only;
where the Director of Teagasc has responsibility for
research, advice and education,
(iii) the National Research Coordinator will be responsible
for and must be capable of deciding between research
priorities at a time of scarce financial resources.
(iv) external funding and contract work now forms 50% of the
research programme and closer liaison is essential with
research organisations, particularly in EC countries
because of the international nature of funding schemes
and,
(v) the National Research Coordinator will have to play a
leading role in disseminating research findings to
relevant bodies in Ireland, including the advice and
educational sections of Teagasc, whereas a whole
department carried out this function in An Foras
Taluntais.
3. The responsibilities of the post are so great and the
scientific standing of the appointee must be so high (as
outlined above) that the post warrants the appointment of
National Research Coordinator at the level of Deputy Director
on a salary grade of Assistant Secretary (Civil Service).
COMPANY'S ARGUMENTS:
4. 1. Programme Directors are the only staff in Teagasc graded
at Civil Service, Assistant Secretary level. The Programme
Directors for the Grange, Kildalton, Athenry and Moorepark
(Production) Divisions have a national responsibility for
Research, Advisory, and Education Programmes involving annual
expenditure ranging from #6m at Grange to #13.5m at
Kildalton, while the Programme Directors at the National Food
Centre and the National Dairy Products Centre have
responsibility for annual expenditure of #2.8m and #2.4m
respectively. Furthermore, the Programme Directors are
charged with the task of generating overall income of
approximately #26m p.a..
2. As the duties of the post of National Research
Co-Ordinator are not as broad as those attaching to the post
of Programme Director, the post would not warrant grading at
Programme Director level. The Programme Directors are
responsible for management and control of a national research
programme and for delivery of all advisory and training
services in a group of counties. They are responsible for
administration of substantial budgets and for control and
management of a large research body and other staff. The
National Research Co-ordinator will manage a relatively small
budget, will manage very few staff, and will not be
responsible for the generation of income as in the case of
Programme Directors. The duties of the post are
significantly less than those of Programme Directors in the
areas of budget and staff management and in terms of the
range and diversity of projects and operations. Accordingly,
Civil Service Principal Officer (Standard Scale) is the
appropriate grading level for this post.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Court having considered all of the views expressed by the
parties in their oral and written submissions takes the view that
the post should attract the Civil Service Principal Officer Higher
scale.
The Court recommends accordingly.
~
Signed on behalf of the Labour Court
7th January, 1993 Tom McGrath
P.O.C./M.H. ---------------------------------
Deputy Chairman
Note
Enquiries concerning this Recommendation should be addressed to
Mr. Paul O'Connor, Court Secretary.