Fórsa’s ballot of members in library, professional management and support staff roles in the higher education sector has returned a vote of 85% of members balloted in favour of industrial action.

Fórsa has cautioned the Department of Education and Skills that this year’s allocation process for the school year starting in September has given rise to a ‘surprising’ number of cases where SNAs have been told their working hours are to be cut.

Fórsa is due to meet with senior officials from the Department of Education and Skills in order to establish the status of the NCSE report on the SNA service, and to give the union’s preliminary views on the report’s recommendations.

Fórsa’s School Secretaries branch is preparing a national campaign to improve secretaries’ pay next year.

The day to day realities of surviving on a clerical officer’s salary were explored in a case study in the Irish Times last week featuring Fórsa member Cathleen Shiels.

Some 28% of people in Ireland believe they will never be able to own their own home, according to Aviva’s 2018 family finances report. The annual survey, which addresses a range of family finance issues, found that 40% of non-homeowners don’t expect to be able to buy a house for at least a decade.

A third one-day strike by directly-employed Ryanair pilots, members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association, is underway today (Tuesday).

Fórsa/IALPA Ryanair pilot strike update, withdrawal of cooperation from community healthcare organisations and more. Presented by Hazel Gavigan and Róisín McKane.