Fórsa’s 2,300 school secretaries in primary and secondary schools have this week commenced a ballot of school secretaries for indefinite strike action. School caretakers are also balloting members.

The ballot is part of the union’s ongoing campaign to secure access to the Single Public Service Pension scheme for school secretaries and caretakers across the country. 

The union said the move to ballot for indefinite strike action reflects the level of frustration with the continued exclusion of school secretaries and caretakers from the public service pension scheme, despite the regularisation of employment and centralised payroll arrangements for secretaries since 2023. 

Fórsa’s head of education Andy Pike said the union’s 2023 agreement with the Department of Education successfully standardised pay and conditions for school secretaries, ending years of disparity in pay, contracts, and job security: “It was a landmark agreement, marking a major step forward in recognising the critical role of school secretaries in our education system. 

“However, the agreement did not include pension provision under the Single Public Service Pension scheme, and this has left a significant gap in the effort to achieve full equality.

“Fórsa has consistently argued that pension justice is an essential and inseparable part of the process of regularising school secretaries into Department of Education employment. Like every other grade overseen by the department, they must now be afforded the same pension entitlements as other public service workers. Caretakers are also locked out of pension arrangements and have yet to see any progress on regularising their pay and conditions."

“School secretaries and caretakers are highly skilled and dedicated professionals. They play a central role in the daily operations of every school and provide crucial leadership in every school community. That school secretaries and caretakers remain excluded from the public service pension scheme undermines the progress already made. This ballot reflects our members’ determination to see the process through to its conclusion, and that includes pension equality.”

“Schools rely on school caretakers to do all of the unseen things that allow the school to function, from opening in the morning, to locking up, and fixing everything and anything. Their work deserves respect and recognition too. They too should have access to department payroll, pensions, critical illness leave and bereavement leave.”

Andy added that Fórsa continues to urge the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to re-engage meaningfully on the matter: “A fair and equitable resolution must be reached. School secretaries and caretakers deserve to be treated in the same way as other public service workers under the Department’s remit.”

The ballot will conclude on Tuesday 11th June.

All eligible members should now have received their unique voting code (UVC) from Mi-Voice. If you are entitled to vote but have not received your UVC, please contact your branch or official immediately. An FAQ for members is available here. 
 
Support the campaign: Download the campaign flyer here: In English | As Gaeilge

Sign the petition here: Pledge: Pension Parity for All School Staff! 

See also: More than 2,300 school secretaries and caretakers begin ballot on strike action (Irish Independent Tuesday 20th May)

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