FDA criticises decision to pay no bonuses in Northern Ireland

The FDA yesterday responded robustly in the media to the decision by Northern Ireland finance minister Sammy Wilson that senior staff in the Northern Ireland Civil Service would receive no bonus payments this year.

Jim Caldwell, FDA Northern Ireland secretary, said: "These are people who are an easy target for politicians and the general public. The fact is the Senior Salaries Review Body, which decides these issues, was set up to take the issue out of the political arena and Mr Wilson has unilaterally put it back there."

Speaking yesterday on BBC Radio Foyle's The Morning Programme, Caldwell described the way in which the decision was announced on the radio as "poor industrial relations". He added: "We have… written to Mr Wilson to discuss these matters and he has refused to have any consultation with us."

Dave Penman, FDA head of operations, said: "These payments, which are performance-related and non-pensionable, were effectively funded by lower annual pay rises in the past.

"This is clearly a political knee-jerk reaction. Withdrawing these payments and putting nothing meaningful in their place is no way to treat the most senior civil servants in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) who are tasked with delivering vital public services.

"We are meeting with NICS management this week and will be raising this issue, and the lack of consultation, directly with them."

Press release
Union condemns decision to abandon bonus mechanism

Media coverage
FDA Northern Ireland secretary Jim Caldwell interviewed about the decision to pay no bonuses to SCS members in Northern Ireland
BBC Radio Foyle The Morning Programme (49 mins 44sec into programme)

Top civil servants angry over Sammy’s bonus axe
Belfast Telegraph