Union Reps

The National Negotiating Committee (Retained Firefighters)

The National Negotiating Committee was made up of elected Retained Firefighters who represented their colleagues in talks with local authority management and Government during the 2023 to 2025 dispute over pay, recruitment and retention in Ireland's retained fire service.

In June 2023, around 2,000 Retained Firefighters began industrial action, with pickets at over 200 stations nationwide. The committee argued that the service faced collapse unless the recruitment and retention crisis was addressed, and escalated to strike action when Government failed to respond. A Workplace Relations Commission agreement ended the strike in September 2023, but the committee continued to press for the promised increases to the retainer, rejecting offers it considered inadequate in 2024.

The dispute was ultimately referred to the Labour Court, and in April 2025 members voted to accept its recommendations, securing improved retainer payments. The committee's work brought national attention to the pressures on Retained crews and laid the groundwork for continued efforts on recruitment and retention.