Fórsa’s Health and Welfare Division is advising health staff not to undertake work normally done by nurses if the nursing strike goes ahead from 30th January as expected.

Pay scales have been updated on the Fórsa website to reflect the third income adjustment under the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA).

Two Fórsa cross-divisional committees have been exploring differences in pay, working time, and other working conditions for clerical, admin and executive staff in different parts of the civil and public service.

Fórsa has expressed concern over reports that the Government has withdrawn its support for new legislation to extend unpaid parental leave from 18 to 26 weeks per child.

Fórsa has welcomed new legislation allowing public servants to retire up to the age of 70.

The legislation completed its passage through the Seanad in December and became effective as soon as it was signed into law by President Michael D Higgins on 26th December.

Fórsa’s elected National Executive Committee (NEC) has appointed Kevin Callinan as the union’s senior general secretary designate with effect from 1st January 2019.

Fórsa has welcomed the announcement of a ban on the use of single use plastics and other pollutants in the civil and public service, and says it will work with Government departments to implement the new policy.

The number of people who died in workplace related accidents fell by 23% last year, according to a report issued by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) earlier this month.