Talks on the assimilation of school secretaries onto improved pay scales are continuing, following the education department’s milestone concession that they should all be placed on the public service clerical officer scale.

The breakthrough, reported in this bulletin two weeks ago, brought an end to four decades of two-tier pay arrangements, and led Fórsa to defer a national one-day strike planned for 15th September.

The current negotiations will also address conditions of employment as well as pensions.

The improvements, which will come into effect from 1st September 2021, will also see equalisation of annual leave arrangements on the basis of public service clerical officer provisions. The department also agreed to improve sick pay arrangements, though Fórsa will continue to pursue full equalisation with ETB-employed secretaries.

The union also said it expected the new employment conditions to be included in a model national contract for secretaries. It said the education department had stated that the administration of secretaries’ pay would be centralised, with the details to be discussed over the coming weeks.

Fórsa said work remained to be done on the details of a similar package for caretakers, but said the department had agreed that the same principles would apply to them.

Whilst no agreement was reached on the provision of pensions, the parties will try and seek a resolution of this outstanding issue in the final phase of talks on this long-standing dispute.