SIPTU members in the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) have referred a claim for the restoration of their pay and employer’s pension contributions to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

“Our members working in the FAI received very substantial cuts to their pay in 2012,2 SIPTU Sector Organiser, Denis Hynes, said. “Some workers lost over one third of their pay while all lost at least 10%.”

The FAI are due to receive additional money as a result of the national team’s showing at the European Championships and the union are keen for their members’ to benefit.

“Following the Irish national team’s impressive performance at Euro 2016 the FAI stands to receive €11 million. The Association is also in negotiations to complete extensions in the contracts of the national team’s management, which will cost several million euro.”

Hynes added: “However, our members largely operate at the grassroots level of the game in Ireland and as such it is their work which lays the foundations for success at the national level. When the cuts in their pay and pension contributions were imposed in 2012 there was a commitment from management that they would only be for 18 months.

“Recent discussions with the management of the FAI have resulted in it accepting that it will reinstate a small fraction of the pay and pension contributions due to our members. The paltry offer of a mere 3% restoration of pay and pension contribution is unacceptable to our members who have decided to refer the dispute to the WRC.

“They expect management to show them the level of respect they deserve and engage in negotiations on a satisfactory pay and pension restoration plan at the WRC.”

Efforts to contact the FAI were not immediately successful.