Fórsa and other public service unions have invoked a review clause in the Building Momentum public service agreement on foot of high and sustained inflation.

Negotiations on the future of Irish water services resumed in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) this week, with Fórsa and other unions making representations on Government plans to transfer local authority services to a central national water agency.

Just over half of female staff in a large Dublin local authority have had to take time off work because of their periods. But only 12% said they were comfortable enough to tell their line manager the real reason for their work absence.

Fórsa has welcomed the Government’s announcement that, later this year, it will introduce an obligation on medium and large employers to report on their gender pay gaps. But the union said it wants a quick expansion of the number of companies covered by the new law.

The State must rapidly strengthen its support for social dialogue between Government, unions, employers, communities and civil society organisations, or risk failing to meet its climate action obligations under Irish law and international agreements, according to Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has launched two new statutory codes of practice, which unions will be able to invoke in pay inequality and workplace harassment and sexual harassment cases.

Fórsa added its voice at the National Women’s Council Dublin rally, which called for progress on gender-based violence and other women’s issues this International Women’s Day.

Raising the pension age will save less money than initially thought according to research conducted by the Department of Social Protection (DSP).