Dear colleagues,

I hope that you have had a good start to the new year, and that you were able to benefit from some down time in recent weeks. While many of us will have enjoyed the festive season, this time of year always brings with it specific workplace challenges for those who provide essential public services, in rain, hail, sleet or snow. 

This week our members have yet again shown that without them our country would grind to a halt. From the municipal workers gritting our streets, to the community and voluntary sector staff moving mountains to keep vulnerable people safe from the weather, to school staff keeping heating systems running, Fórsa members never shy away from difficult situations. And of course, we can’t forget the meteorologists in our union – who continue to provide essential weather information that has helped keep us all safe during this week's very cold conditions.

Last year the union successfully mobilised to address a broad range of issues, with the negotiation and ratification of a national pay agreement, a successful outcome to the pilots’ strike, and ongoing disputes with the HSE. Our biennial conference in May set the union’s agenda for the two years ahead. We achieved pay improvements in workplaces across all divisions, from St. Christopher’s disability services in Longford, to Drogheda Port, and CE supervisors, to name but a few.

In the autumn we released a manifesto, and called on political parties and candidates in the general election to commit to pay increases that go beyond inflation. We also launched our new LGBTQ+ network. Each month our members stood in support of Palestine at national demonstrations, and we marched under our union banner for the first time ever at Dublin Pride.

Looking to the year ahead we will continue to stand with you and for you every day. Members working in the HSE and section 38 voluntary hospitals have now voted in favour of industrial action regarding the Pay and Numbers strategy – a recruitment embargo by any other name. In Local Government the fight for job evaluation continues, while in Education our school secretaries and caretakers are running a national campaign for pension parity. Work continues in the Civil Service division on overhauling the outdated Conciliation & Arbitration scheme.

In December we lodged the first local bargaining claim since the ratification of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026. Local bargaining, a new process of national bargaining for collective issues specific to a grade, group or category, is a key feature of the agreement, and one which we intend to make full use of. You can read more about that in this bulletin here. 

I am very proud that Fórsa’s membership has grown every year since we came into existence. When our union was formed its name took inspiration from the Irish word meaning a ‘force’ or body of people, also meaning ‘leverage’, and as we continue to build our union and our collective power, I see that force grow. That is thanks to you. By standing up for your colleagues, campaigning for better workplaces and a better world, you show that by acting together, we can win together. 

Kevin Callinan
General Secretary

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa.