Fórsa has welcomed the announcement of an additional and recurring public holiday to recognise workers’ contribution and sacrifice during the pandemic.

A once-off public holiday has been announced for 18^th March 2022 to recognise workers’ efforts in the fight against Covid, and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the pandemic.

And from next year there will be a new permanent public holiday established in celebration of Saint Brigid’s Day.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said unions had argued strongly that an economy-wide acknowledgement of workers’ efforts during the crisis should go beyond a one-off gesture.

“It’s very welcome news that, following a once-off additional public holiday on 18^th March 2022, we will see an additional public holiday introduced on a permanent basis. This recognises workers’ contribution and sacrifice over the last two years, and brings Ireland closer to European norms in terms of the number of public holidays in place for workers,” he said.

This week’s Government announcement also included a once-off tax-free €1,000 payment for health staff who worked “onsite in a clinical Covid-19 exposed environment during the pandemic.” This will be given to “eligible frontline health and ambulance workers” including staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices that were affected by Covid-19, as well as those seconded or assigned to HSE testing centres.

Kevin Callinan said most people would support this acknowledgement of staff who toiled in very high-risk environments when PPE provision was inadequate and there was no vaccine available. “They took massive risks, and potentially exposed their families to the virus in a truly terrifying time. They did it to keep the rest of us safe, and I think most people will welcome this acknowledgement of their selflessness and commitment,” he said.

In addition to the recognition measures announced this week, the recent recommendation that additional working time introduced under the Haddington Road agreement (HRA) be restored this July was also linked to civil and public servants’ efforts during the pandemic.

The independent body that reported on the hours last week cited this as one of the reasons for recommending the full implementation of its recommendations, despite the fact that this would go beyond the €150 earmarked for implementation in 2022.

In its recommendation, the body said “the committed efforts of staff during the last two years in meeting patient, healthcare, population vaccine, security needs and the requirements of delivery for existing and new social welfare and pandemic payment measures has to be acknowledged.

“The Independent Body has to take into consideration the contemporaneous working environment and the human pressures on those striving to address these challenges on a daily basis and in extremely trying circumstances.”

Read the Department of the Taoiseach statement HERE.

Read Fórsa’s statement HERE. 

Fórsa has directed its special needs assistant (SNA) members not to carry out work associated with the ‘72-hour obligation’ on school premises. The union says SNAs should remain available to carry out such work on a remote basis where the need arises.

The ‘72-hour obligation,’ which was introduced in 2011, requires all SNAs to be available to do 72 hours of non-student-related work each year. Fórsa says this can be performed remotely without any adverse impact on students, and that current public health guidance insist that staff should work at home if at all possible.

The education department and school management bodies have been informed of this directive, which the union says will remain in place until there is an easing of the current official public health advice to work remotely wherever possible. It’s comes with a raft of union suggestions to improve classroom Covid safety measures.

The union also wrote to all school principals and boards of management last week, urging them to take immediate steps to ensure adequate ventilation and air quality in classrooms and to provide special needs assistants with FFP2-grade face masks. Fórsa also called on school management to ensure that legal minimum workplace temperatures of at least 16 degrees Celsius are maintained as schools implement Covid–related ventilation measures.

The Fórsa letter argues that school management should supply SNAs with FFP2 masks because they work with students in circumstances where social distancing is impossible. It pointed out that the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), which issues information and guidance on workplace Covid protection measures, is to review its existing advice on the provision of FFP2 masks to SNAs.

Current advice does not include such a requirement, even though the Chief Medical Officer wrote to the health minister last week saying that that FFP2 masks are effective, and that individuals may prefer to use this grade of mask.

In an update to its 14,000 SNA members, Fórsa said it accepted the reality that windows may have to be left open to achieve compliance with Covid-related air quality and ventilation requirements. But it said principals and management boards had a responsibility to take all possible measures to maintain an acceptable temperature of at least 16 Degree Celsius, including the provision of portable heaters where necessary.

The union has also raised the issues with the education department, which it says has not implemented adequate measures to support schools during the current phase of the pandemic.

In the absence of adequate guidance from education department, Fórsa reminded principals and management boards of their obligation to liaise with the lead worker safety representative in each school. It has insisted that steps be taken in every school to update Covid-19 response plans with fresh assessments of risk regarding air quality, ventilation measures and compliance with minimum workplace temperatures.

Fórsa has welcomed a recommendation that working time be restored to pre-austerity levels for education staff in a range of grades from 1^st July 2022. The recommendation will apply to all staff in the grades affected, including those who joined the public service after additional working hours were introduced in 2013.

The education workers covered include clerical administrative, library and professional grades, instructors, and support staff in institutes of technology, technological universities, education and training boards (ETBs) and Mary Immaculate College. Technical staff in the institutes of technology and technological university sector are also included in the recommendation.

The additional working time was introduced for thousands of public servants, as an alternative to a third pay cut, under the 2013 Haddington Road agreement (HRA). Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said last week’s recommendation would remove a longstanding and debilitating drain on morale and productivity.

“The additional hours introduced under the HRA fell hardest on women with caring responsibilities, and they have been increasingly counterproductive in terms of service delivery, morale and productivity.

“Since its formation in 2018, Fórsa has worked tirelessly to get this issue on the agenda and to get it resolved, often in the face of scepticism over the prospect of success. This recommendation allows the Government to remove a deep grievance among many, mostly lower-paid, public servants,” he said.

The additional working hours were imposed from 1^st July 2013, when the standard working time of public servants increased to 39 hours for those who previously worked between 35 and 37 hours, and to 37 hours for those who previously worked 35 hours or less. The hours of those working 39 hours or more per week were unchanged.

Speaking to RTÉ last week, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the unpaid hours were unfair and “never intended to be permanent.” Labour’s Brendan Howlin, who was public expenditure minister when the hours were introduced, has also confirmed that they were seen as a temporary emergency measure.

Michael McGrath, the current Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, also responded positively saying he would consider the independent body’s full report when it issues later this month.

The recommendation, which was made by an independent body charged with resolving the issue, would see a return to the pre-July 2013 hours albeit with a minimum working week of 35 hours. If accepted by the Government, it will unwind the final element of the HRA’s austerity measures.

Fórsa devised the strategy for addressing the issue and, working with other unions, insisted that it was included on the agenda for the Building Momentum public service deal, which was agreed last year. Throughout 2021, the union held out to ensure a concrete outcome from the HRA hours process set up under the agreement.

Building Momentum earmarked €150 million to make a start on restoring the hours in 2022, with a commitment that any outstanding issues would be discussed as part of a successor to the current agreement. In the event, the Independent Body recommended the full restoration of the hours this year, with a price tag of €180 million in 2022.

Kevin Callinan said he was confident that the return to pre-austerity arrangements could be achieved without excessive cost or damage to public service quality or output.

“These workers have shown their mettle during the pandemic. In any case, the technological and work-practice environment in which public services are delivered has altered beyond recognition since the unpaid working time was imposed almost nine years ago, on the basis that a pay cut was the only alternative,” he said.

The independent body said it had taken account of the nine-year period in which the additional hours have been worked, the strain on the staff working the hours, and the “truly committed efforts of staff during the last two years in meeting patient, healthcare, population vaccine, security needs and the requirements of delivery for existing and new social welfare and pandemic payment measures.”

It said the additional hours had “undoubtedly contributed significantly to the national effort to recover from the global crisis of the last decade.

The body also said that no compensatory claims should be pursued or conceded in respect of any grade arising from the implementation of its recommendations.

“These recommendations effectively conclude any further negotiations to restore pay and other conditions of employment, either imposed by a combination of FEMPI legislative enactments, or agreed through a difficult series of overarching public sector agreements addressing pay, pensions, working hours and public service modernisation requirements over the last decade,” it said.

Fórsa is hopeful that a final package of measures for school secretaries and caretakers can be put to a ballot after a further hearing in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) next Wednesday (26th January).

Last September the education department finally conceded that all school secretaries should be placed on the public service clerical officer scale, and to do away with the requirement for most secretaries to sign on during school breaks, as they would be able to retain existing work patterns while having their salaries paid over 52 weeks on a pro-rata basis.

Those concessions will bring an end to a four-decade old two-tier pay system, and deferred a planned national one-day strike by school secretaries and caretakers. Since then, discussions have focused on finalising the assimilation arrangements for transferring staff to new scales.

Fórsa’s head of education Andy Pike said he is hopeful that next week’s meeting can bring matters to a conclusion. “The key objective now is to assemble a final package of measures that can be put to a vote of our members,” he said.

Fórsa has added its voice to calls for the urgent introduction of legislation and a more consistent approach to tackle gender-based violence in Ireland following the murder of Ashling Murphy. The 23-year-old school teacher, who was attacked while out running on the Grand Canal in Tullamore, was laid to rest this week.

The union joined other education unions in a joint call for a moment’s silence in all schools on the day of Ashling’s funeral, and offered its condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and students. Fórsa also expressed solidarity with the local community, and joined the groundswell of demands for more action to tackle violence against women.

Fórsa’s Equality Committee met this week, and called on the Government to act now to introduce legislation. Union official Ashley Connolly welcomed justice minister Helen McEntee’s declaration of a “zero-tolerance approach,” but said the issue demanded more urgency.

“We are regularly seeing headlines about innocent women who have lost their lives, and this is due in part to a lack of a consistent legislative approach to combat male violence against women in this society. It’s absolutely shocking and heart-breaking that a young woman can’t even go for a run in broad daylight without fear of attack and, in Ashling’s tragic case, the loss of her life. It’s time to finally end men’s violence against women,” she said.

The union called for an interdepartmental plan to tackle gender-based violence in the new National Strategy for Domestic Sexual and Gender-based Violence, which is set to be launched in March.

Fórsa branches representing special needs assistant branches also put out a statement earlier in the week to remember Ashling as a valued member of the education community.

Domestic violence leave

Meanwhile, the Department of Equality has opened a consultation with unions and relevant stakeholders on the introduction of paid domestic violence leave, in advance of presenting Government with a report on the logistics of introducing the measure.

Unions and others have long argued that paid domestic violence leave would help survivors to end abusive relationships and relocate to escape abusive situations.

An EU-wide survey recently found that almost 15% of women in Ireland have experienced physical violence by a partner, while over 30% had experienced psychological violence. 

The survey results informed the Fórsa-backed ICTU submission on paid domestic violence leave, which also includes calls for information on how to respond and support colleagues experiencing violence.

Five Irish universities have now committed to introducing paid leave in 2022 for staff struggling with domestic abuse. Following NUI Galway’s announcement in May 2021, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Dublin and Dublin City University became the latest to adopt the policy.

The Women’s Aid Femicide Watch Report estimates that 137 women across the world are killed by a partner or member of their own family each day.

Shorter isolation periods, a greater use of medical masks, and an increased focus on antigen testing are among new measures set out in an updated official Covid-19 work safely protocol, published last week.

With daily infection numbers falling, there is mounting speculation that the Cabinet will today (Friday) approve a broader relaxation of Covid restrictions. But, in the meantime, the revised safely protocol continues to apply workplaces in all sectors of the economy.

The latest update says that fully-vaccinated and boosted close contacts no longer have to isolate for five days unless they are experiencing Covid symptoms. However, they must wear a medical or higher-grade mask for ten days, take regular antigen tests over seven days, and follow protective measures for ten days.

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) officials have agreed to consider a Fórsa request that employers provide both the tests and the masks in these situations, following a meeting last week. Further amendments to the DPER ‘frequently-asked questions that govern the application of Covid safety measures in the civil and public service are expected to issue as the situation changes.

Changes in the work safely protocol include:

Close contacts, boosted

• Fully vaccinated and boosted close contacts, with no symptoms, no longer have to isolate for five days.
• But they must wear a medical or higher-grade mask for ten days.
• And they must take regular antigen tests over seven days, with the last test on day seven.
• And they must follow protective measures for ten days. That means limiting close contacts, wearing an appropriate mask in crowded or enclosed spaces, taking an antigen test before entering crowded areas.

Close contacts, not boosted

• Close contacts who have not received a booster jab must restrict their movements for seven days.
• They must also wear a medical grade or FFP2 mask for ten days.
• And they must take regular antigen tests over seven days, with the last test on day seven.
• Close contacts with no symptoms who have recovered from a positive test result of Covid-19 since 1s t December do not have to restrict movements or get tested.
• But they must follow protective measures for ten days. That means limiting close contacts, wearing an appropriate mask in crowded or enclosed spaces, taking an antigen test before entering crowded areas.

Covid-19 cases and positive tests via antigen or PCR tests

• The isolation period is reduced to seven days for those who have tested positive
• But they must wear a well-fitted medical mask or a filtering face piece mask (FFP2) mask for 10 days.
• And they must limit close contact with people outside of their household for 10 days, including seven days self-isolation).

Symptoms of Covid-19

• Those who experience Covid symptoms must self-isolate and get tested.
• Health care workers and others aged over 39 should seek a PCR test.
• Other workers should use repeated antigen tests. Positive antigen tests are now regarded as definitive and should be registered on the HSE portal. 
• Negative antigen tests results should also be registered on the HSE portal for information purposes.
• Those who have experienced symptoms should continue to self-isolate until 48 hours after the symptoms have resolved.
• And they should wear a medical grade or FFP2 mask (for those with symptoms).

Fórsa members can continue to avail of free counselling, legal advice and domestic assistance by contacting the union’s helplines, which now have new phone numbers. Qualified personnel are on hand to support Fórsa members 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the following lines:

• Legal help in bodily injury cases: 0818-776644
• Legal advice: 0818-776644
• Confidential counselling: 1800-776655
• Domestic assistance: 0818-776644

Fórsa members can also avail of a health information service, staffed by qualified nurses, on health and fitness and non-diagnostic advice on medical matters. Advice on allergies, the side effects of drugs and how to improve general fitness are also available as part of this service.

The health and medical information line can be reached on 0818 254164, and is available 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public and bank holidays.

If you call outside these times, a message will be taken and a return call arranged within the operating hours. More information can be found HERE.

The Spanish public sector has been described as a trailblazer after a number of local municipal administrations announced that they will provide menstrual leave for their employees.

The municipalities are among the first in Europe to offer these arrangements, in a move to strike a better balance between workplace demands and period pains.

Last June, the Catalan city of Girona agreed menstrual leave availability for some 1,300 municipal employees. Soon after, following requests from unions, the Catalan municipalities of Ripoll and Les Borges Blanques announced similar policies.

And in September, the Spanish city of Castellón de la Plana followed suit, signing an agreement with unions representing its 1,500 municipal workers.

Under the new arrangements, workers who have periods will be entitled to eight hours menstrual leave a month, with the caveat that any time used must be recovered within a span of three months. The policy applies to women, trans men and non-binary individuals.

Menstruation has been negatively affecting women in the workplace for decades. A recent study found that almost 14% of women reported absenteeism during their period, with 3.5% reporting period related absenteeism month on month.

While period policies have long been enshrined in law in many parts of Asia, employers in Europe showed reluctance to implement such policies until now.

Fórsa’s head of equality Ashley Connolly commended the Spanish public sector as a step in the right direction.

“Many workers choose between working while grappling with severe menstrual symptoms or using sick days or holidays. We need to break through the stigma and encourage a workplace culture that allows greater flexibility for workers suffering period pain. This is better for workers and better for the employer,” she said.

The Munster Special Needs Assistants’ branch annual general meeting takes place at the Charleville Park hotel from 6.00pm to 8.00pm on Friday 4th February. Registration opens at 5.00pm.

The outgoing branch executive committee, union president Michael Smyth, members of staff and guests will be present.

A new committee will be elected, motions will be debated, and staff will update members on all matters relating to SNAs. Cornmarket and Dubco will be available to discuss their services.

Refreshments will be provided to the attendees, and a raffle is also expected to take place.

Most importantly, there will be an opportunity for members to meet each other and catch up with colleagues and staff.

All public health advice will be adhered to and places will be limited to facilitate social distancing.

We are looking forward to meeting you and hope that you will enjoy the engagement.

Places will be limited to comply with social distancing regulations. To book a place please go to https://bookwhen.com/infomeeting

KennCo travel insurance offers Fórsa members single trip and multi-trip insurance for individuals, couples and families. Low cost annual multi-trip travel insurance for Fórsa members starts from just €59, which includes cover for you, your partner and dependent children. Single trip insurance pricing starts at €12.86.*

KennCo is offering Fórsa members the chance to win a €150 One4All voucher. All Fórsa members who purchase or renew a KennCo Travel Insurance policy between December 1st 2021 and 31st March 2022 will be entered into the draw.

KennCo travel insurance features:

• Worldwide and European cover available
• 365-day medical assistance
• Lost baggage
• Public liability
• Missed departure
• Medical and emergency expenses
• Cancellation and curtailment
• Personal accident
• Winter sports included in all annual policies and available on single trip policies.
• Winter sports equipment, hire of replacement ski equipment, ski pack, piste closure, travel delay due to avalanche
• Cover in relation to Covid-19 *

Travel insurance policies taken out on or after 1st September 2021:

• Medical and repatriation costs in the event you fall ill with Covid-19 whilst overseas
• Cancellation if you test positive for Covid-19 within 14 days of the departure date of your trip
• Provided prior to your trip commencing the DFA has not issued advice to avoid non-essential travel or advised do not travel to your destination or any country/area you are travelling through.
• There is no cover under any other section for claims relating to Covid-19.

Terms and conditions and excesses will apply. Get a travel insurance quote HERE.

*Dependent children of 17 years and under can travel independently for up to and including 21 days. Between 18-22 years they can still be covered under the family policy provided they are still in full time education and travelling with either parent. Annual cover applies to individuals from 18-70

years of age. Single trip cover applies to individuals up to and including 79 years of age. You must be living with your partner for at least six months.

Terms and conditions apply. For more travel insurance information check our website. Competition terms and conditions are on our website.

Fórsa has written to Ireland’s 11 MEPs urging them to support measures to give developing countries rapid access to Covid-19 vaccines.

The union’s general secretary Kevin Callinan called on them to put pressure on the European Commission to support a waiver of intellectual property rights, which currently restrict the local manufacture of life-saving vaccines across the globe.

Last month, the Seanad passed a motion that called on the Government to support a ‘TRIPS waiver’ on Covid-19 vaccine technology, and publicly call on the European Commission to do the same. TRIPS is an acronym for ‘trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights.’

Fórsa says the EU’s refusal to back a TRIPS waiver – which was originally proposed by the governments of South Africa and India and is now supported by over 100 nations – puts millions of lives at risk in the developing world, while hindering efforts to control the spread of the virus everywhere, including Ireland and Europe.

The TRIPS waiver would address vaccine inequity by temporarily waiving intellectual property rights to vaccines, and by encouraging pharmaceutical companies to share their know-how, allowing the manufacture of vaccines to be scaled up to meet global demand.

Fórsa was active in the international People’s Vaccine Campaign throughout 2021. The campaign says pharmaceutical company control of vaccine-related intellectual property could leave countries in the global south waiting until 2023 for widespread vaccination. The proposed waiving of intellectual property rights would allow the rapid upscaling of vaccine manufacturing by developing countries.

In his letter, Mr Callinan called on Ireland’s MEPs to use their platform in the European Parliament to support the proposed waiver to “ensure that the entire world, including Europe, can get the virus under control and stay ahead of new variants.”

While over 100 countries are supporting the TRIPS waiver in World Trade Organisation negotiations, a handful of countries – including those represented by the European Commission – have consistently blocked it.

An Oireachtas committee has recommended that the public service adopts specific hiring targets for Travellers along with an examination of recruitment campaigns to ensure they don’t discourage Travellers from applying for public service posts.

The joint committee looking into issues affecting the Traveller community said there was a need for a national Traveller employment plan, with positive action measures for recruiting Travellers into the public sector.

The report also recommends that cultural awareness and anti-racism training should be mandatory for all staff working in employment activation and support. This would improve access to employment, help uphold the dignity of Travellers, and help ensure that they are not exposed to racist or discriminatory language.

Fórsa official Lisa Connell was part of an ICTU delegate that presented evidence to the committee. The unions called for measures to deliver decent employment opportunities for the Traveller community.

Lisa emphasised the protective measures that are in place across the public service, and outlined how they could be applied in relation to the Traveller community. She said robust grievance and disciplinary policies and other measures could be effective in protecting against discrimination.

“This means the public service is an important sector for members of the Traveller community to find employment where these measures would act to ensure against discrimination. Equally, the public service would provide decent employment opportunities with decent pay and promotional pathways.

“This is a particularly important point in the context of Traveller employment as we need to broaden the conversation past employment and ensure that Travellers have access to not only employment but importantly to decent employment,” she said.

Fórsa welcomed the positive recommendations of the Oireachtas committee report and called for them to be implemented.

Workers who wish to join Fórsa can to do so using a new ‘join online’ function on the union’s website.

Going live with the new system follows several months of research, preparation and testing aimed at making it easier than ever to join the union. It also goes live as the union continues to process a large number of new membership applications, as interest in joining the union has surged since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis.

Fórsa’s general secretary Kevin Callinan commented: “The current crisis has created the necessity to be able to carry out our business in different ways. Work on this project had commenced before the Covid-19 crisis took hold, and its completion marks a vital step as we tackle the challenges of living in changed times.

“We can see that more people want to join a union in response to what’s happening in the wider economy. It’s vital that they can take those initial steps quickly and easily, and making the membership application process more accessible is part of that process.

“This is a crucial new venture to enable Fórsa to substantially increase our membership - and to strengthen the union’s hand - at a critical time in the union’s development,” he said.

The online facility is a streamlined and simplified membership application process, and will be the quickest and easiest way to join the union. All incoming applications will continue to be subject to check-off and approval by Fórsa branches and the national executive committee, while the new online system is designed to ease the administrative burden on branches.

You can join Fórsa online at https://join.forsa.ie/

Fórsa is engaging with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) following the launch of its strategy statement earlier this month.

Minister of state Damien English launched the strategy, which highlights the HSA’s key goals in tacking current and emerging challenges that face workers and across workplaces.

These include the introduction of remote and hybrid working, advances in technology and the green economy, the ‘gig economy’, and the needs of vulnerable workers and migrant groups.

The Health and Safety Authority has a wide and varied mandate including acting as the national body with responsibility for protecting all workers nationwide from work-related incidents, injuries and ill health. It also acts as the market surveillance authority for chemicals and industrial products and protects all citizens from the risks arising from the use of chemicals.

Fórsa official Lisa Connell welcomed the report and said it was forward thinking. “It’s clear that the HSA is looking to the future, considering the introduction of new technology and the increased focus on climate action and sustainability, which should be beneficial to occupational safety and health,” she said

She also commended the work of the organisation. “This body has proved integral in ensuring that our members are kept safe in the workplace, and has been vital to workers during Covid, considering the risks posed by the pandemic,” she said.

The HSA Strategy Statement 2022-2024 can be read here.