Fórsa and other public service unions have warned that the time available to negotiate and ratify a new public service pay agreement is running short.

Employers’ guidance on the levels of service that will be maintained at each of the five levels of response to Covid-19 set out in the Government’s guidelines varies significantly, particularly in relation to public counters and library services, from list of essential services that were used in March and April of this year, according to Fórsa’s head of health.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has renewed calls for legislation to oblige employers to pay remote workers an allowance to cover some of the costs of working from home. ICTU also wants a review of the current €3.20-a-day rate that workers can receive tax-free.

Fórsa officials believe a resolution is possible in a dispute over management’s proposed compulsory transfer of local authority vets to the Food Safety Authority Ireland (FSAI) at the end of this month.

Fórsa is in discussions about a reduction in working hours for workers in the Coolmine sports and leisure centre, which has been seriously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fórsa’s delayed 2020 national delegate conference is set to take place on a fully remote basis on 19^th November. Originally planned for last May, the event was interrupted by Covid-related public health restrictions on travel and assembly