Members of Fórsa, employed by Scouting Ireland, have suspended their planned industrial action following a breakthrough in negotiations with the organisation’s management. The dispute centres around the establishment of formal pay scales, with Fórsa members previously voting overwhelmingly to take industrial action, including the option of striking, after months of failed attempts to engage with management. 

Scouting Ireland is supported through a combination of government grants, membership fees, income from National Scout Centres, donations, and revenue from both national and international events. Key funding partners include the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission, the Department of Rural and Community Development, Leargas, and Pobal. Across Ireland, over 26,500 young people and 10,000 dedicated volunteers are actively involved in Scout Groups. 

On Friday 4th October Fórsa representatives met with newly appointed Scouting Ireland CEO Sean Sheehan. According to Fórsa official Maura Cahalan, the meeting resulted in a significant shift in the dialogue, with management committing to meaningful engagement and promising to present a draft pay scale proposal within four weeks. 

“Positive engagement took place with the new CEO, and there was a clear commitment from management to address the concerns of our members,” Cahalan said. “This was a crucial step toward resolving this long-standing issue.” 

The dispute arose after Scouting Ireland’s management had initially written to the union in November 2023, stating that a draft pay scale document would be presented to the Board of Directors by February 2024. However, no further action was taken and attempts by the union to engage with management went unanswered. This led to frustration among Fórsa members, culminating in the decision to take industrial action. 

Cahalan acknowledged that the recent meeting signalled a change in approach. 

Fórsa members voted to suspend industrial action until early November, allowing time for the agreed-upon steps to be taken. The next meeting between the union and Scouting Ireland is scheduled for 4th November, at which point a draft proposal is expected to be presented.
 
Scouting Ireland members are part of the Dublin City Council branch of Fórsa. Branch chair and union senior vice president Julie Flood expressed the commitment of the members to winning. “As always, we remain open to engagement, but management should not underestimate the absolute determination among members to secure an appropriate pay scale in Scouting Ireland,” she said. 

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