A survey has been issued to clerical officer members asking for their views on what will be the union’s first local bargaining claim. View the survey here.

Local bargaining is a key feature of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026. While it is called ‘local’ it is a new process of national bargaining for collective issues specific to a grade, group or category. Claims amounting to 3% can be made, however there will be no automatic payment without a claim being submitted.

In October the union’s National Executive Committee (NEC) decided that the first claim to be formulated and served by Fórsa under this clause of the national pay agreement would concern members who are clerical officers/ grade III and equivalent grades. 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “We want to submit a local bargaining claim on behalf of clerical officers and equivalent grades before the end of this year. This is a real opportunity for members to be fully involved in the claim. We want you to tell us what your priorities are when it comes to pay and related matters by filling in this survey.”

The survey asks members if they would prefer pay to improve at the maximum point of their relevant pay scale, or if they would prefer to see faster progression through the scale by the removal of points at various intervals on the scale. A combination of both these approaches is also available as an option for members to select.

The survey was developed with input from the Equivalent Grades Committee. Members who are clerical officers, grade III or equivalent grades encompassed by the national pay agreement, across all divisions, should have received the survey on Tuesday 26th November. 

In the Education division members encompassed within this claim work in the Education and Training Boards and the Higher Education sector, as clerical officers, Grade III roles, and library assistant posts.

Head of the education division Andy Pike said: “We urge members to take part in this survey so that we know what matters most to you. Local bargaining could have a big impact on pay and conditions  for clerical officers and by taking part in this survey you can really shape the claim we will submit.”

The survey closes at 12 noon on Monday 9th December 2024.

If you think this claim is relevant to you and you have further questions you can email localbargaining@forsa.ie.  

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