Local council staff are due to receive their next union-negotiated pay and pension levy boosts from 1st January.

Three significant changes to the public service ‘additional superannuation contribution,’ which replaced the so-called pension levy under the Public Service Stability Agreement, come into force on 1st January.

Members, staff and activists in Fórsa’s Local Government division were deeply saddened at the recent untimely passing of former divisional Cathaoirleach Michael McCabe. Michael had served as chair of the Louth branch and sat on the IMPACT central executive committee in his capacity of divisional Cathaoireach.

Local authority employers have backed away from a threat to unilaterally abandon the local government ‘common recruitment pool’ from next month.

There is renewed hope that the Oireachtas will pass legislation allowing public servants to retire after age 65 before the Christmas recess.

Fórsa has secured a reversal of Dublin City Council (DCC) plans to outsource parts of the city’s litter warden services.

Fórsa has told local government minister Eoghan Murphy that he won’t win support for his plans to bring 3,500 local authority workers under the control of Irish Water unless there is a referendum to underpin public ownership and control of the utility.

Fórsa is to consider plans to transfer the Ambulance Control function for the Dublin Fire Brigade from Tara Street to Tallaght.