Tomorrow, Saturday 5th October, a national demonstration of solidarity with Palestine will take place in Dublin. This demonstration will mark a full year of atrocities and humanitarian crisis being subjected upon the people of Palestine.

For a year Fórsa has stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Week after week our members have marched demanding ceasefire and respect for the human rights of Palestinians. We welcomed Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Palestine’s Ambassador to Ireland, to our national conference, and we have donated over €135,000 to UNICEF’s Gaza appeal.

Tomorrow we will march again to demand peace and security for Palestine and all peoples of the region.

Members are encouraged to march together as part of the trade union bloc, which will meet outside the Mandate office from 12.45pm. The demonstration is set to start at the Garden of Remembrance and march to the Dáil. Flags and banners will be available from the Fórsa offices at Nerney’s Court form midday on Saturday.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming demonstration Fórsa head of campaigns Grace Williams said: “A full year of genocide has playing out in front of our eyes, and the situation is only getting worse.

“We need action. We need sanctions. We need effective leadership and the international community must actively build pressure to stop the violence.”

For members who cannot make it to Dublin there are solidarity events taking place all week around the country. More information is available here.

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Public service pay scales are currently being amended to reflect an increase of 1% of gross pay, or €500, whichever is the greater, effective from 1st October.

The pay adjustment was due under the existing terms of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, negotiated by unions earlier this year and overwhelmingly accepted in a ballot of Fórsa members in March.

The agreement covers the period from 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2026 and makes provisions for pay improvements worth 9.25% – with a further 1% available for local bargaining – for public sector workers. The October adjustment marks the third increase this year, totalling a 4.25% increase to date.

Pay scales for Fórsa members are currently being updated on the union’s website, reflecting the final pay adjustment under the agreement, and can be viewed here. 

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The closing date for applications to the 'Jerry King Gaeltacht Scholarship Scheme for children of Fórsa members' for 2025 is fast approaching. Don’t miss your chance to avail of financial assistance in sending your child to Gaeltacht courses. 

Applications are open for children of Fórsa members, who are aged between 11 years and 18 years on 1st July 2025. Children who received a grant last year will not be eligible to receive a grant again this year. This is to ensure as many children as possible benefit from the scheme.

The scheme will provide 80 grants of €150 each to assist children of Fórsa members attending residential Irish language courses in Gaeltacht areas next summer. While a further 40 grants of €70 are will be provided to assist children to attend day-only Irish language courses held outside Gaeltacht areas.

If you wish to apply you can download the application form here.

Applications must be returned by 5pm Friday October 18th, 2024. Forms can be submitted by email to gaeltacht@forsa.ie, or by post to Fórsa Head Office to the following address: 

General Services Committee,
Gaeltacht Scheme,
Fórsa,
Nerney’s Court,
Dublin 1,
D01 R2C5

Only one application per child is permitted. Multiple applications for the same child will not be considered.

Any queries can be sent to gaeltacht@forsa.ie.

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The Skills Academy has been very busy preparing offerings for members this month. Upcoming courses include Workplace Representative trainings, the last chance to take Communications and Digital skills for Branches in 2024, and a brand-new course on developing positive and sustainable industrial relations locally and with the WRC.

Lunch & Learn - The role of the workplace representative in building effective industrial relations locally – Online - October 25th

Lunch & Learn is our Skills Academy’s monthly online offering to members. These hour-long sessions take place from 1-2pm on the last Friday of every month. Lunch & Learn sessions provide information on a wide variety of different topics of interest to Fórsa members.

In this month’s Lunch and Learn Brendan Cunningham, former Regional Manager with the WRC, will join us. Brendan will talk about the importance of the workplace representative, their role, and responsibilities in building sustainable working relationships and the links between local engagement and the WRC.

This session also serves as the introduction to a new workshop which Brendan will deliver. The first session is scheduled to be delivered on November 6th in Nerney’s Court.

Register for October’s Lunch and Learn here.

Last month’s Lunch and Learn is now available to be viewed online. If you missed General Secretary Kevin Callinan explaining pay determination in the public sector and the local bargaining clause you can catch up on the Skills Academy YouTube channel.

Developing a deeper understanding of the link between local Industrial relations and third-party mechanisms – Dublin – November 6th 

A new workshop aimed at workplace and branch reps who have regular engagement with local management.  This one-day course will teach reps how to develop and maintain positive and sustainable relationships between local engagement and the WRC. The first session has already been filled. New dates will be released soon.

This course is only open to members in a workplace representative or branch executive officer role who regularly engage with local management.  

Communications and Digital skills for Branches - Galway - 15th October

Only a few places remain in the last session of Communications and Digital Skills for Branches for this year. The course is designed for branch officers who regularly communicate with union members, have a basic level of understanding of social media, and the ambition to improve their branch’s communications.

Training is delivered by Hannah Deasy, Director of Communications, and Kate O'Sullivan, Director of Digital. Attendees can expect to learn on the effective use of email and other types of communication with union members, and how to gather stories and create content for social media.

Register here

Level 1 Workplace Representatives Training

Level 1 is a 3-day course for new workplace representatives, who have undertaken the Fórsa Induction session, and have little to no representative experience or training.

This course teaches participants communications skills and representative knowledge to effectively undertake the role of workplace representative and create strong teams to improve local participation to strengthen influence and achieve better outcomes.

Limerick – October 29-31st

Register here 

Cork – November 26-28th

Register here 

Level 2 Workplace Representative Training

Level 2 is delivered over 4 days and is made up of three parts which must all be completed. Participants must have completed the Level 1 course.

• Part 1: focusses on organising in the workplace (day 1) and provides practical opportunities to develop individual representative skills (day 2).
• Part 2: covers equality legislation and diversity in the workplace (day 3).
• Part 3: covers health and safety practices, risk assessment and an overview of legislation (day 4).

Galway - Part 1: 6-7th November, Part 2: January, Part 3: March

Register here

Dublin (Woodford) Part 1 (overflow course) 2-3rd April, Part 2 Tuesday 5th November 2024, Part 3: Tuesday 21st January 2025

Register here

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The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has described this week’s Budget 2025 announcement as “fiscally irresponsible” and said that corporation tax receipts are being used to fuel a pre-election giveaway in a return to “reckless, pre-crash budgetary strategies.”

In a statement ICTU said the Government’s approach to this year’s budget risks placing a future tax burden on younger workers, while undermining Ireland’s capacity to improve future public services. 

ICTU said measures designed to stimulate housing with a range of tax breaks seemed “particularly perverse as it will simply push house prices even higher,” while “throwing money from tax cuts into an economy at full capacity will simply raise prices and ultimately erode the gains from the tax cuts.”

In a Budget response broadcast on Newstalk radio on Tuesday, Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan joined ICTU in welcoming the increase in the minimum wage, marking further progress toward the Government’s commitment to introduce the National Living wage (60% of hourly median wages) by January 2026.

Kevin also welcomed confirmation that pension auto-enrolment would commence in September next year, after prolonged uncertainty, and said the minimum wage increase and pension auto-enrolment are important improvements, especially for younger workers.

He added that health services continue to struggle due to suppressed posts in health services, and that major infrastructure challenges remain. He said the budget focused largely on short- and medium-term gains, and that this was to be expected in anticipation of a general election.

He also backed ICTU’s call for collective bargaining measures, as required by the full implementation of the EU Adequate Minimum Wages Directive.

ICTU general secretary Owen Reidy said that while additional infrastructure spending was welcome, it remained unclear if the Government has a strategy to encourage the supply of needed construction workers: “There will need to be much greater emphasis on funding for apprenticeships as well as better terms and conditions in the sector if we are to solve the housing crisis,” he said.

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Fórsa paid tribute to its members working in the Irish library service ahead of National Public Libraries Open Day, which took place last weekend.

Fórsa’s head of Local Government Richy Carrothers explained: “National Public Libraries Open Day highlights the invaluable contributions of public libraries and the dedicated staff who make them a cornerstone of our communities. 

“It’s a real reminder to us all of how valuable a resource our libraries are, and the vast range of services they provide.

“Irish library workers are responsible for fostering a unique culture of learning, inclusion, and community engagement through our libraries. More than anything, as their trade union, Fórsa salutes them and says thank you,” he said.

Richy said public libraries serve as essential hubs for knowledge and creativity, providing access to a wealth of resources, from books and digital media to education and community events: “These are safe spaces for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to explore new ideas, develop skills, and connect with others. 

“Library workers play a crucial role in all of this, offering personalised assistance, organising events, and creating an inviting atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. It’s time we celebrated the transformative power of public libraries and the dedicated professionals who make them thrive,” he said.

Fórsa is the main union for library staff, with about a thousand library workers currently in the union’s membership.

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Fórsa members working in Scouting Ireland are set to commence industrial today, Friday 4th October, in an ongoing dispute with management on the establishment of pay scales within the organisation. Members voted overwhelmingly to support a ballot for industrial action, up to and including strike action, following failed attempts to engage with management. 

Fórsa official Maura Cahalan explained that Scouting Ireland management wrote to the union in November 2023 confirming that a draft pay scale document would be presented to the Board of Directors at the February 2024 meeting, but have since refused to engage with members on the issue 

“We have tried on numerous occasions to engage with management on the matter and they have not responded to any of our communications to date. In addition, management have not informed members of any change to their position or consulted with members on a regular basis. They have also refused to attend the state third party mechanism to resolve this dispute,” she said. 

Maura said that management’s withdrawal from the process is “wholly unacceptable” and places members in a very precarious position. With the unanimous support of the Local Government and Local Services Divisional Executive Committee, and Chairperson of the Dublin City Council branch Julie Flood, it was voted overwhelmingly that management would be informed of industrial action effective from October Friday 4th.

“Management representatives have utterly failed to engage meaningfully in resolving this dispute, despite its commitment to do so. There was no meaningful or constructive engagement from the employer side and the employer has failed both the process and the workers. As always, we remain open to engagement, but management should not underestimate the absolute determination among members to secure an appropriate pay scale in Scouting Ireland, and this action will illustrate that,” said Julie. 

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Fórsa is waiting on a date for engagement at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) with Galway City Council management in the ongoing dispute over the Council’s proposed move from Galway city centre to a new premises at Crown Square.

Last Friday (27th September), Council management acknowledged the matter is to return to the WRC for a conciliation hearing. 

The union had opposed a locally-based conciliation process. Fórsa official Padraig Mulligan said this had been necessitated by the failure of management to consult with staff over the controversial move: “It is a breach of legislation underpinning the current public service pay agreement. That’s why we referred it to the WRC.

“A move of this scale, involving up to 150 staff, should not proceed without the necessary consultation. The legislation requires it, and professional courtesy demands it. 

“Fórsa is in the business of solving problems, and we believe in a collaborative approach. Galway City Council has shut out its own staff on a project that has zero chance of success without collaboration. 

“This is about respecting existing processes and the staff team. But, above all, it’s about respecting those that rely on the services provided by the council,” he said.

The council’s purchase of a new building at Crown Square has proved controversial with local media reports focusing on the speed of the decision to purchase the new premises in 2022, at an estimated total cost of €56 million. 

Councillors were originally given just three days to approve a loan to purchase the new building. It’s widely reported that there was no public consultation in relation to the move, and Fórsa has opposed the relocation due to the absence of any consultation with staff.

Padraig said members have raised issues of accessibility, public transport links and the loss of a civic presence in Galway city centre. Fórsa has also raised environmental and public access concerns.

An initial WRC hearing took place in July. Fórsa sought further WRC engagement on the basis that the union has several outstanding questions for council management, the answers to which Fórsa described as “far from satisfactory.” 

Padraig added: “The circumstances around the approval, purchase and decision to move premises raises a lot of questions. Relocating the offices will effectively put the council’s services out of reach for many service users, as public transport links are totally inadequate.

“The council’s presence in the city centre is a sustainable and important feature of the services offered by the council. The move to Crown Square isn’t adding value to those services, it’s undermining them,” he said.

The Fórsa Youth Annual General Meeting (AGM) is set to take place on Friday 18th October in the union’s Nerney’s Court office in Dublin from 10.30am to 3.00pm, and we’re encouraging all young members to get involved.

The AGM will be open to members, under the age of 35, who have been nominated by their branch. Each branch may nominate a maximum of one voting youth representative under the age of 35 to attend meetings of the National Youth Network, and branches may send additional non-voting representatives to meetings.

The Fórsa Youth Network aims to strengthen and empower younger members by providing an open, equal and respectful space for young members to discuss matters relevant to them, while respecting the contributions of every member. 

A steering committee will be elected at the AGM and will be charged with the orderly running of all Network activities. More information on the Network can be found here.

If your branch does not have a youth representative, the branch chairperson or secretary can put forward a nomination by emailing their name and details to youthcommittee@forsa.ie.

For further information, or if you would like to get involved, contact youthcommittee@forsa.ie for more details. 

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa. 

The usual muck and wellies at Ratheniska were swapped for ice creams and sun lotion as the late summer sun bathed the hills of Laois. Fórsa, Ireland’s second-largest trade union and the largest representing public service workers, was among the 1,700 exhibitors at this year’s National Ploughing Championships. This marked Fórsa’s first time ever exhibiting at the event, which drew nearly a quarter of a million visitors.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “So many in the agricultural sector are in employment, either full-time or part-time. We need to support those workers. We're here to brief our own members. 2% of the Irish population are members of Fórsa, and we're also here to support our members who are working at the ploughing.”

Khalid El Busaidy from Fórsa’s membership team, who had been busy preparing for the event, shared his excitement about engaging with members of the farming community:

“Being here is a way of increasing our visibility in the farming community that might have people working in various government departments, especially the Department of Agriculture. 

Khalid added “It’s a way of connecting with members and making sure that they can see our visibility and also pass on the message to us. Fórsa trade union is here, and we represent their community, and, you know, their family members—many of them would be working in sectors that we represent.”

Speaking at the event Fórsa president Martin Walsh noted the importance of the union’s membership benefits saying: “We have a substantial range of benefits for our membership. We have in-service critical injury cover. We have access to cheaper car and children's health insurance and other benefits like travel and health insurance. There are many, many benefits to being in a trade union."

Fórsa senior vice president Julie Flood cracked a pun that adorned the walls of the Fórsa stand:

“We can’t protect you from the muck, but we can protect you from your boss. You're never alone when you're in a union, especially if you're with Fórsa. Fórsa always has your back. We ensure certainty, parity, accuracy, and fairness for our workers in the workplace. So we have your back. We're always there with you.”

Julie also shared her own personal journey of empowerment through the union:

“But apart from all of that, one of the biggest benefits for me from becoming an activist in Fórsa trade union was it has brought me along so much in my life personally and in my work life.

They've offered me training programs. I became part of a big family that has nurtured me to be the person that I am. I no longer fear speaking out in the workplace. I actually feel that I have a very important role in the workplace and that I need to speak out because not everyone is able to.”

Flood offered encouragement to new and prospective Fórsa members:

“My advice will always be never be afraid to stick your toe in the water. You can put your toe in, or you can stick your whole leg in. For me, I started off with very small tasks, and I loved what I saw. I loved the benefits, I loved the wins, I loved how it actually helped people, and that really empowered me to take a step further where you don't have to go."

Fórsa’s treasurer Micheal Smith spoke about the power of collective union action:

“Union membership is about more than just individual issues. Although individual issues, of course, are dealt with, it's also about the collective, such as national pay agreements and local bargaining with employers in a particular workplace, where everybody has a stake in the outcome.”

He emphasized the benefits of a strong union voice, particularly in recent national pay negotiations:

“And we can see from our recent national pay agreements, in particular, the advantage of having a strong voice at those negotiations. And our goal is to make our voice stronger because it's important that workers' voices are properly represented when our representatives in the union movement meet with government.”

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa.