GAA voluntary redundancies

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-offers-voluntary-redundancy-to-all-full-time-staff-1.4571911?mode=amp

The GAA have offered voluntary redundancies to all full-time staff. At a remote meeting on Friday, the association's DG Tom Ryan addressed staff and in light of the financial difficulties of the past year proposed the cuts.

It applies to all centrally funded positions, which now includes nearly all county secretaries or CEOs. Staff were informed that the matter would be coming before the meeting of Management Committee later that evening.

The programme is at an early stage and there will be no compulsory redundancies plus all applications must be approved by the GAA's HR department. There are believed to be the best part of 200 employees of the GAA at central level, including 140 directly in Croke Park and around 30 more, as full-time CEOs are also funded centrally.

It is also believed that the impact of Covid, which shut down the association for lengthy periods and prevented any gate receipts from being earned has created the necessity for this action.

A voluntary process will begin in the weeks ahead. There is no declared target number of redundancies but the programme is open to everyone, subject to approval.

There is concern within the GAA that the severance proposals, although inevitable, will hamper the association in the years to come.

In his annual report to last February's congress, Ryan set out the financial challenges caused by the pandemic.

"Our success is not defined by financial performance, and nor should it be," he said in his report about a year in which revenues fell by nearly 60 per cent from last year's record €74 million and in which counties lost a cumulative €4 million.

"Nevertheless the past year has proved very damaging to the Association from a financial point of view, with the likelihood that the after effects will be felt for some years to come. The extent and nature of that damage is evident elsewhere in this report, but the topic bears reflecting upon here too."

Government support was vital to the functioning of the association and totalled €28 million, including the €14 million granted to run the All-Ireland football and hurling championships.

"But the Association will flourish again long after this pandemic is over," added Ryan, "and we need to maintain certain momentum in the meantime - albeit on a greatly reduced scale. With time, with the restoration of public health and the resumption of normality I have no doubt that we will recover."

[Milltown Row2]

So what if everyone just says no?

[Louther]

Hard on anyone who may lose their job, generally the voluntary scheme will be offered to avoid having to pick and choose and the uptake will dictate next step. Risk is that good and valued people people take it who will have no bother moving into new role while those not so valued stay.

Not surprised they making this move to protect themselves in another year with little or no income and reliance in Gov grants.

Some have you believe the GAA a cash rich organisation.

[brokencrossbar1]

So what if everyone just says no?

Then the normal redundancy process will start and there will be a pool for selection and people then loss leverage. Sometimes with a voluntary redundancy you can get an uplift above the statutory payment therefore it can be worth considering it for an extra 10-15%. That is unusual when it goes through the standard redundancy process. Also, some people might be happy for the payoff as it has no impact on them getting another job. It they are getting a payout of €25k they may just happily walk away and given the number of long term workers in the GAA that level would not surprise me

[clonadmad]

So what if everyone just says no?

Then they become redundancies with people let go.

[6th sam]

I think the GAA as a whole needs to respond imaginatively to this pandemic .
Going back to before isn't an option.
There needs to be less emphasis on marquee stadia, as crowds may not return to previous numbers.
There needs to more emphasis on the gAA's contribution to the social fabric of the country : participatiion, socialisation, employment.
The county game provides the elite element , and there needs to be imagination around making it a strong financial model , not least to help finance grassroots .

[From the Bunker]

Amateur is just a convenient word.

[Milltown Row2]

Will Croke want county sec's to carry out the job in a voluntary bases?

[6th sam]

Will Croke want county sec's to carry out the job in a voluntary bases?

I think voluntary redundancies are fair enough, but aside from employees who would be happy to leave, the GaA should prioritise retaining theirbemployees, not only as a social responsibility but to ensure best practice and not allowing standards to slip. It would be retrograde step to move the extensive role of county secretary to voluntary . The only  people capable of doing it well, would already be in top Paid jobs, who's going to take on effectively a CEO role in their spare time for no pay?

[twohands!!!]

If they are looking at redundancies, the first place they should be looking is the four provincial councils.

From my experience, there is a huge amount of duplication of effort and room for increased efficiency if they got rid of the four provincial councils.

[thebackbar1]

This seems like a very strange move ! I wonder do they feel there is a lot of dead wood they could get rid of ?

Personally I would much rather see the GAA cut back on capital development rather than staffing.

Anyone know what percentage of the GAA's expenses staffing is ?

County boards need to be ran by paid professionals.

[johnnycool]

This seems like a very strange move ! I wonder do they feel there is a lot of dead wood they could get rid of ?

Personally I would much rather see the GAA cut back on capital development rather than staffing.

Anyone know what percentage of the GAA's expenses staffing is ?

County boards need to be ran by paid professionals.

This bit is missing in a lot of them.