SIPTU calls on FAI to attend WRC over pay dispute

SIPTU members employed by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) have called on management to respond to a request from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to attend a meeting to discuss a long-running pay dispute.

The union said that after months of trying to resolve the matter with management it has been have been left with no option but to refer the dispute to the WRC.

SIPTU has claimed that since the start of the tenure of the current FAI Chief Executive Officer in 2020, management has refused to sit down with union representatives to negotiate the pay and conditions of staff.

"At the core of the dispute is a flawed benchmarking process that was initiated by the current FAI Chief Executive Officer," said SIPTU Shop Steward and FAI Football Development Officer, Paul Keogh.

"This process fails to acknowledge the sharp rise in the cost of living for workers. The Association also has no proper pay grades, pay scales or bonus structure," Mr Keogh said.

SIPTU said that its members had previously requested assistance in the dispute from Sport Ireland but were told that it does not involve itself in such matters.