Fórsa has successfully secured an extension in the eligibility for workers across the Civil Service to access parental leave until their child reaches the age of 16.

The Parental Leave Act 1998 and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 sets out a statutory entitlement to unpaid parental leave of 26 weeks.

It has now been decided to set the maximum age of the child in respect of whom employees may take parental leave at sixteen years in all cases including for parents of children with a disability or long-term illness and in the case of adoption.

The main arrangements around parental leave entitlement in the Civil Service are set out in this circular.

A subsequent circular had increased the maximum age of the child in respect of whom employees may take parental leave to thirteen years of age previously. This has now been officially revised to parents of children up to sixteen years of age.

The changes came into effect from 1st July 2023. All other terms included in the principal circular continue to apply.

Fórsa officials representing members in the Civil Service division say this extension is just one of several matters it is pushing for on the equality front this year.

“We are advancing several equality issues in discussion with the employer this year, and the cooperation of the Equality Committee at the General Council would help in quickly progressing these crucial advancements,” said Éamonn Donnelly, head of Fórsa’s Civil Service division.

“This entire process could have been sped up if the Equality Committee of the General Council facilitated meetings more often,” he added.

“We are really keen to begin having robust discussions around domestic violence leave and menstrual and menopausal welfare policies to gain ground on those issues too,” said Éamonn.

The union maintains that delays or lack of communication from the employer representatives at the General Council will result in it agitating to meet outside the system for every single issue.

Fórsa’s push for action on these issues is a result of surveys of members and motions unanimously passed at its national policy-setting conference early last year.

The union says these supports could make a huge difference to the employees’ working lives and productivity, while being of minimal cost to employers.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) has been ordered to pay €10,000 in compensation for disability discrimination to a Fórsa member after failing to properly examine how it could accommodate them when a full-time remote work arrangement ended.

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found that the Department made an "obvious error" by not obtaining a medical report on the worker's disabilities. They also found that the Department did not do enough to assist the member and to find appropriate solutions for their disability.

Fórsa brought the case to the WRC after numerous efforts were made to resolve the matter through internal civil service procedures.

The member had been on sick leave for almost a year before the beginning of the pandemic. Due to their increased health risk the member was allowed to work from home and was also provided with an office in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, which had an attached toilet that suited their needs.

The dispute arose when the DSP tried to re-locate the employee to an office in Thurles which lacked the necessary bathroom facilities.

The case was disputed by Fórsa officer Donna Mooney who commented that the outcome of the case was justified: “We are very happy that the adjudicator recognised the Department’s failure to take our member’s disability into account, despite numerous offers to resolve the matter through internal civil service dispute resolution procedures.

“We hope this decision will have a positive impact in how the Department engages with us on reasonable accommodation issues when they arise going forward.”

The Fórsa Youth Network will be hosting an event on the housing crisis “Locked Out: The Working Homeless”, at 6.30pm on Friday, September 29th in Nerney's Court.

A panel of industry experts will discuss the challenges facing young workers who cannot find anywhere to live, explore the impact of the housing crisis on workers, and discuss the action that can be taken by the trade union movement. 

This event is hosted by Fórsa's Youth Network however the event is open to members of all ages. 

Register here to attend this event.

Applications are now open for the 2024 Fórsa Gaeltacht grant scheme. 80 grants of €150 each are available to assist children of Fórsa members attending residential Irish language courses in Gaeltacht areas next summer. 

A further 40 grants of €70 are available to assist children to attend day-only Irish language courses held outside Gaeltacht areas. 

Children of Fórsa members, who are aged between 11 years and 18 years of age on 1st July 2024, are eligible to apply for the grant scheme. You can download the application form HERE.

Please note that in order to ensure as many children as possible can benefit from this scheme a child who received a scholarship in this scheme in 2023 is not eligible for receipt of the scholarship in 2024.  A list of winners in 2023 is available on the Fórsa website.

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

Applications must be received on or before 5.00pm on Friday October 6^th, 2023.  The draw will take place shortly thereafter.  All queries should be sent to gaeltacht@forsa.ie.

Application forms can be submitted either by email to gaeltacht@forsa.ieor 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 method of application per applicant is allowed.

A list of last year's winners is available on the Fórsa website

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Dear member, 

This time of year often brings with it a sense of renewed opportunity and plans for the months ahead, as schools reopen and holidays come to an end. Here at Fórsa we have a busy schedule of events open to all members, from trainings to seminars, between now and the end of year, which I hope that you will enjoy. 

A core focus of our work this Autumn will be negotiating a new national pay agreement for public sector workers. The extension of the Building Momentum agreement expires at the end of 2023, with the final pay instalment due on 1st October. 

While the review of the agreement in 2022 brought much needed pay increases, inflation continues to erode the pay of all workers, and the cost of everyday living is a constant challenge. Earlier this year, 99% of respondents to our members’ survey told us that negotiated pay rises must match inflation, and for many this was an issue on which they would be prepared to take industrial action. This message from you is a mandate for Fórsa.

While global events create some uncertainty, the Government is managing record budgetary surpluses. This provides a unique – if challenging - negotiating context for a successor to Building Momentum.  It is imperative now that a date for the beginning of pay talks is set. 

While many Fórsa members will have benefitted from a break over the summer months, a lot of activity continues, and significant progress was made on several issues in the past week. 

Thanks to progress made at the WRC planned industrial action was suspended in the health sector, where the union had served notice of industrial action in disputes over a career pathway review for health and social care professionals, and the recruitment pause on clerical admin and managerial grades in the HSE. Similarly, after several months of the employer refusing to negotiate with the union, Fórsa signed an industrial relations agreement last week with Emerald Airlines.

Disputes are also ongoing in relation to job evaluation in local authorities and Tusla, while Fórsa continues to work with other unions in attempts to resolve pay disparities for health workers in the community and voluntary sector, and those members are currently being balloted for industrial action. 

There have been notable wins in other areas, and I would like to particularly congratulate everyone involved in Fórsa’s School Secretaries campaign. This school year they finally have the recognition they deserve as they go back to school on the Department of Education payroll.

 
Our collective strength is in our members. This year our union membership has been growing across all divisions, and that growth empowers us when we negotiate on your behalf. To keep it going we need your help. 

The most effective thing you can do today to support your union is to ask your colleagues: ‘Have you joined the union yet?’. You can also download and print this poster to distribute or display in your workplace. 

Thank you for your continued support,

Kevin Callinan,

General Secretary,

Fórsa

As Summer turns to Autumn many of us turn our minds to learning.

Our Skills Academy offers training for members, workplace representatives, and branch activists throughout the year, for more information on upcoming courses check out our calendar for the year ahead here.

However if you don’t have the time to sign up to a specific course at the moment, did you know that all our Lunch & Learn trainings are available on the Fórsa Skills Academy YouTube channel?

These hour-long sessions provide insights and overviews of a range of different topics so if you’re looking to learn how to draft a motion, brush up on your public speaking skills, or for insights into how to speak about your union, and build membership you can watch back all the sessions in your own time here. 

Have you ever wanted to join a friendly, active and non-competitive choir? Then the People’s College Choir could be for you!  

The mixed-voice choir of 45 members is now recruiting new members. You can find out more about the choir’s affiliations with Fórsa and other unions by clicking HERE.

The choir was founded in 1993 by then President of the People’s College, Dr Sheila Conroy, the first ever female member of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union Executive. The College itself was established in 1948 to promote worker and cultural education and the choir is part of that wider programme. Members are trade union and community activists from Dublin, and neighbouring counties. 

The choir sings an extensive range of songs in a non-competitive atmosphere; some old, some new, some folk, traditional Irish airs and modern popular songs as well as songs of social progress ‒ some of which have been performed at trade union organised events including in Áras an Uachtaráin.

The choir rehearse from 8.30 p.m. until 10 p.m. each Tuesday evening in Club na Múinteoirí (the ‘Teachers’ Club’, Parnell Square). The choral year runs from September until May of the following year. 

If you are interested in joining you can contact the musical director, Paul Walsh, at peoplescollegechoir@gmail.com

The 3rd Irish Labour History Society (ILHS) international event takes place from 14th to 17th September across a number of venues, including the Liberty Hall Theatre and Fórsa’s head office at Nerney’s Court.

The conference will feature panel discussions with academics, trade union representatives, activists and representatives of migrant workers. Fórsa general secretary, Kevin Callinan, will take part in a discussion on the issue of social dialogue with Danny McCoy of Ibec on Sunday, 17th September.

The conference kicks off on Thursday at 2:30pm in Liberty Hall with an introduction and welcome from Shay Cody, Chair of the ILHS. The programme includes panels and presentations on:

• Press for Labour Rights – Keeping it real in a world of AI
• Discursive studies reviewing Social Partnership; The Peace Process, Good Friday Agreement and Brexit
• Gender, Class & Labour History Since 1980
• Setting the scene, the Irish delegation to the ILO
• Irish Public Policy - ‘The Marriage Bar in the Civil Service 1893-1973

If you are interested in attending, please email ilhsconference@forsa.ie before the 12^th of September. The ILHS are partnered in this venture by ICTU, and with the Northern Ireland Committee of ICTU. You can find the full conference agenda HERE.