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| GENERAL SECRETARY INTERVIEW |
‘The Most Significant Challenge of my Career’
As he prepares to step down as General Secretary of RACO, Lieutenant Colonel Earnan Naughton shares his thoughts on his term of office, the achievements of the past five years and the challenges that remain.
RACO Gen Sec Earnán Naughton
Tell us about your career prior to Representation.
Prior to taking over as Gen Sec of RACO, I had 25 years in an operational role both nationally and internationally. Where my background was in logistics in the Transport and Vehicle Maintenance Corps, I held varying appointments in the 4 W Brigade and Defence Forces Headquarters. I served on seven tours of overseas duty to include service with UNIFIL in South Lebanon, UN in Liberia, EU in Macedonia and Croatia, OSCE in Bosnia, and EU Chad. My service in operational roles overseas were, without question, the most exciting and rewarding of my career. The relationships that are forged through the rigours of overseas military service are particularly special and life lasting and a unique characteristic of service in Óglaigh na hÉireann.
How did you get involved in Representation?
I was commissioned in 1990 and I saw the establishment of representation from the stormy outset and, as a Junior Officer, witnessed the positive impact that representation brought to influence on the Defence Forces as an organisation and on the terms & conditions of those who serve Óglaigh na hÉireann. While serving in the 4 Western Brigade I was elected initially as Committee Member and Chairman thereafter. During my service in DFHQ in 2011 and 2012, I was elected President of RACO. This was a difficult and challenging period as a consequence of the economic collapse and consequential downsizing and pay cuts across the Public Service. On taking over as General Secretary in 2013, my experience of representation and service in the Defence Forces had been shaped predominately by an extended period of positive professional development and organisation growth (1990-2008) followed by the negative downsizing and negative consequences of a misguided restructure of the Defence Forces in 2012.
As you step down from your post as Gen Sec of RACO, how do you look back on the last few years in terms of professional and personal achievements and challenges?
Professionally, the role of Gen Sec was the most significant challenge of my career. I was acutely conscious that prior to my appointment there had only ever been one Gen Sec since RACOs establishment. I sought then, to balance the requirement for continuity and building on the association’s earlier success with the need to address new and emerging challenges in innovative ways.
Leading a representative association in an Industrial Relations arena dominated by Trade Unions and associated powers is akin to entering the boxing ring with hands tied. Although this restrictive model of IR is clearly favoured by Defence Sector Management, supported by DPER, our organisation and our members have ultimately lost out as a consequence. Where normal employee rights, equivalent to other public service, are denied by nature
of our service, this position should not disadvantage those who serve Óglaigh na hÉireann.
Professional achievements made during the period were, in the main, influenced by 3rd party independent arbitration review. This is a definite signal that the DF C&A scheme is dysfunctional. I recognised early in my tenure that the C&A Scheme was being purposefully frustrated, by design of management, not to allow claims progress to conclusion. Focusing my attention on influencing the C&A process to the facility of 3rd Party Arbitration, results were too soon to follow. Multiple positive results achieved by recourse to 3rd Party. While this work was significant in effort and volume, it proved hugely positive in respect to outcome and impact for our Members.
Also of significance was the restructure of our Association’s Annual Delegate Conference. The themed conference approach since 2017 allows delegates to fully explore and engage with both internal and external experts on topics of interest to our members. The most recent ADC in Fota on 29/30 November 2018, provided excellent background and practical discussion on the application of the EU Working Time Directive for example. Colleagues from the Armed Forces of Germany and Sweden and the Garda Síochána Representative Association engaged with our delegates, providing invaluable insight.
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