Management at the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has written to staff this week to announce that all staff engaged in its ‘New Ways of Working’ programme will see their pay restored to 100% time and pay from 28^th March.

Most staff at Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), the State company responsible for managing Cork and Dublin airports, are currently on 80% of normal pay.

In a letter to staff DAA chief executive Dalton Philips acknowledged “the huge sacrifices” made by staff to support the DAA, and confirmed that the change will apply from 28^th March until 11^th September. The pay measures will be seen in pay packets from 21^st April, confirming the company’s intentions in an announcement made last December. 

Fórsa official Johnny Fox explained that the decision is based upon the continued successful implementation of the changes agreed under ‘New Ways of Working’ (known internally as NWOW), which have helped the DAA achieve the necessary savings: “This is a very rare piece of good news in the aviation sector, following what has probably been the darkest year in the history of the industry here.

“It signals a small piece of hope for the months ahead as the vaccine is rolled out. Every Fórsa member embraced the ‘NWOW’ approach, demonstrating a genuine collective effort to respond to the devastation that Covid delivered to the industry.

“The decision to resume full pay acknowledges those efforts and shows the mutual commitment that has made this measure possible. It has been an exceptionally challenging 12 months. Let’s hope it’s the first of the green shoots we’ve all longed for,” he said.

Johnny said Fórsa’s approach throughout 2020 was to maximise the potential to retain jobs and protect pay, and to prepare the ground for an eventual recovery in passenger numbers, with any measures agreed designed to facilitate pay and jobs recovery in line with the recovery of the industry.

The DAA’s overall workforce has reduced by a third since the pandemic struck. During that time an agreed approach with the unions achieved very significant payroll and non-payroll cost savings. The DAA said it reduced its overall costs by 50% during the period from April to December last 2020.

The DAA letter and an accompanying explanatory booklet advises staff to book and take leave, using their annual leave and time off in lieu (TIL) balances by 11^th September, in order to “support and help prepare the business for the recovery when it does come.”

Read the letter to staff HERE. 

Read the accompanying Q&A booklet HERE. 

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The group of unions representing workers at An Post has backed a new one-year pay settlement which will deliver a pay rise of 2.75% for 2020.

Fórsa members concluded a ballot last Friday (5^th March), backing the deal by a margin of almost 95%, while members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and the AHCPS also gave their approval.

Fórsa official Denis Keane said the deal reflected the exceptional work of members during the course of the Covid crisis: “We’re happy with this new deal because it does reflect that it has been an exceptional 12 months.

“It’s been widely acknowledged that staff at An Post have provided an exemplary service in challenging conditions, accompanied by a significant increase in demand for their services. It is good to have that acknowledged in real terms,” he said.

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Fórsa and other unions have been in official discussions about the establishment of the independent body charged with addressing the additional working time introduced for many non-commercial semi-State workers in 2013.

Work on restoring the so-called ‘Haddington Road hours’ is required under Building Momentum, the new public service agreement, which also governs the pay and working conditions of State agency staff. The package was overwhelmingly backed by Fórsa members last month.

Under the deal, the independent body is to be set up by the end of this month. Last week, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) officials said they were talking to the public expenditure minister about its composition and the resourcing of a secretariat to support its work.

The body will take submissions from management and unions representing the grades concerned, and make recommendations by the end of 2021.

Roll-out of these recommendations will begin within the lifetime of the agreement, with €150 million available to commence implementation during 2022.

Fórsa fought hard for the inclusion of the process in Building Momentum. As a result, workers whose hours were increased under the Haddington Road deal can expect to see reductions in working time from next year.

Sectoral talks

Meanwhile, unions and management agreed to put back the end-of-March date for defining the different groups of grades and staff categories for the sectoral bargaining element of the agreement. Once these ‘sectoral bargaining units’ are agreed, work can begin on how an additional 1% of pay will be distributed through sectoral bargaining.

The agreed one-month delay in agreeing the units was deemed necessary because of the delayed ratification of the agreement. This arose because some unions found the initial timetable for ballots too challenging under Level Five Covid restrictions.

It is expected that some groups will want to use the funds to address – or start to address – longstanding grade issues, while others will simply apply the 1% increase to all staff in the category. Payment of this element of the deal falls due next February.

Reforms

The DPER engagement also included a discussion of the reform measures set out in the agreement, which acknowledges the recent “unprecedented display of commitment, flexibility, hard work and agility in public service provision.”

It says this momentum should be harnessed to meet challenges like the continuing response to Covid-19, a return to normal delivery of education and health services, remote working, digitisation, and managing the response to Brexit.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who leads the union team in the talks, highlighted the modest nature of the increases involved and said balance needed to be achieved to properly reflect progress on broader issues.

“Contentious issues within sectors, which might be relatively narrow in scope, should not be allowed paint a negative picture in circumstances where the main objectives in relation to the headline issues identified in the agreement are being met,” he said.

Read our summary of Building Momentum HERE. 

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Staffing in a new Media Commission will need to be adequate to its task of effectively regulating social and other media, according to Fórsa. In a submission to an Oireachtas committee currently scrutinising legislation that will establish the body, the union says staffing levels will need to be comparable – or even higher than – those of the Data Protection Commission.

Fórsa also noted that legislation establishing the commission specifically provides for a role for a recognised trade union to negotiate the transfer of staff from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). “This provision will ensure that the Media Commission has a body of staff at the outset with a significant level of experience not only in broadcasting but also in online regulation,” it said.

Fórsa’s predecessor IMPACT played such a role in past staff transfers in the broadcasting regulatory sector.

The union’s submission says BAI staffing levels have been inadequate since it was established on the eve of the last financial crisis. The agency sought additional staff resources in 2009 but, in the context of widespread cuts in public service jobs, these were never provided.

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, which was replaced by the BAI, had approximately 42 permanent staff in 2008, but the BAI has operated with just 35 permanent staff for many years.

The Fórsa submission says this must change if the Media Commission is to be an effective regulator.

“The staffing complement of the Data Protection Commission has increased significantly in recent years to reflect the new regulatory responsibilities flowing from the introduction of the GDPR requirements.

“A similar transformation in media regulation is now underway. The breadth and scope of responsibilities that will fall on the Media Commission will be significant, and staffing in the new organisation will need to be comparable, if not greater, than is currently the case for the Data Protection Commission,” it says.

The commission is being established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill, which heralds new regulation of a range of media, including video sharing platforms. It also introduces a regime to tackle a range of online harms across social media services.

“The need for such regulation has been raised in a variety of contexts over the years, by civil society organisations and by many representatives in both Houses of the Oireachtas. Fórsa welcomes the fact that plans in this regard are now bring progressed,” according to the union’s submission. 

It also pointed out that Ireland will come under increasing EU pressure to transpose the Audio-visual Media Services Directive.

“In this context, it will be essential that work on the operational structure and arrangements for the proposed Media Commission progresses in parallel with discussions on the Bill. This will enable Ireland to meet its obligations under the directive at the earliest possible point,” it says.

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Talks at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on behalf of the union’s 110 members at the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) collapsed on Wednesday (10^th March), which had been convened last week in a bid to resolve a dispute over the lack of consultation on the implementation of a change programme at the State body.

Fórsa members at the SFPA, who are represented by the union’s Marine branch, voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action last month. The union had served notice of planned industrial action at the end of February, involving a series of 24-hour stoppages by all Fórsa members at the SFPA nationally, with the first of these due to take place from midnight last Monday (8th March).

The disputes committee is expected to meet on Monday (15^th March) to discuss its next steps.

Fórsa official Ian McDonnell explained that the current dispute involves the findings of an independent review of the SFPA carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC): “The union had agreed a proposal with management to undertake a joint approach to implementing a series of 47 recommendations emerging from the review.

“However, management at the SFPA has sought to implement and impose these recommendations without the input of the staff representatives in the agency, which is necessary to ensure the joint approach agreed by all parties,” he said.

Ian added: "Efforts to mediate a solution by third party facilitators had previously deteriorated, leading to the ballot and the plans for industrial action. We responded to a subsequent invitation from the WRC, talks convened last Friday and the action was suspended on the basis that we were entering an agreed process.

"However, that effort collapsed this week because management proceeded with its implementation plans, breaching existing industrial relations protocols and damaging the prospects of reaching agreement," he said.

In an earlier memo to members the union had warned that if the intervention of the WRC was not successful, and management proceeded without consultation, plans for strike action would be resumed.

The SFPA was established in 2007 and operates under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with a remit for compliance and enforcement of sea-fisheries law and seafood safety law.

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Fórsa has described last week’s announcement, that Aer Lingus was laying-off all cabin crew at Shannon Airport, as devastating for the staff and for the Mid-West region.

The head of Fórsa’s Services and Enterprises Division Ashley Connolly said the union has sought to maintain the links between staff and employer throughout the Covid crisis, in order that the airline and its crews were ready to resume services as and when it was safe to do so: “The Covid crisis has lasted far longer than anyone had envisaged, and this creates additional challenges to maintain the solutions we had previously put in place with the employer.

“Fórsa has previously warned that thousands of jobs dependent on aviation could be lost permanently unless the Government acts to support the sector though a second summer of inactivity caused by Covid-related travel restrictions,” she said.

The union communicated the warning directly to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications Networks in February.

Fórsa called for enhanced industry-specific wage supports, easier access to mortgage payment breaks, and enhanced Government supports to the industry including a State-led stakeholder engagement to develop a survival plan for the sector.

Ashley added: “Last week’s developments at Shannon illustrate that Fórsa’s warnings on the future of aviation need to be taken seriously and acted upon with urgency. The sector plays a crucial role in both our national and regional economies,” she said.

Fórsa represents over 80,000 members, including around 5,000 workers in airlines, airports, air navigation bases, aviation regulatory bodies, and air traffic control.

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Fórsa’s 5,000-strong membership in the aviation industry is among those represented in a new grassroots campaign by aviation workers, Recover Irish Aviation, which aims to secure a package of supports to address the financial damage that the Covid crisis has inflicted upon the industry. The campaign also seeks to ensure “extensive planning to re-build Irish air connectivity from current levels.”

The campaign organisers, which includes IALPA representative Simon Croghan, say a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders is necessary so that the aviation sector will have a roadmap to work towards future recovery: “The Irish economy will not recover if Irish aviation does not survive. Significant support will be required to ensure this.”

Fórsa represents over 80,000 members, including around 5,000 workers in airlines, airports, air navigation bases, aviation regulatory bodies, and air traffic control.

The union has warned that thousands of jobs dependent on aviation could be lost permanently unless the Government acts to support the sector though a second summer of inactivity caused by Covid-related travel restrictions, most recently at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications Networks in February.

The campaign highlights that Ireland has a world beating aviation sector built up over decades: “The innovation and hard work of our aviation community has left us with industry-leading airlines, first class airports and a dominant aircraft leasing industry, supporting 143,000 jobs and €17 billion (or 6.8%) of Ireland’s GDP, and connectivity which enables our island economy and society to flourish.”

Fórsa’s head of Services and Enterprises Ashley Connolly said the aviation industry will be vital to Ireland’s economic recovery, which itself will need to recover from the devastating effects of public health protection measures: “As the vaccination program is rolled out and we finally emerge from the awful effects of this pandemic it should be possible to devise a carefully phased plan for a better future,” she said.

The divisional executive has asked Fórsa members to back the campaign by signing its petition, which is available HERE. 

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The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called for an end to forced retirement and a return to a full State retirement pension at age 65. In a submission to a public consultation run by the Pensions Commission, ICTU also supports a flexible pension age, the return of the Pension Reserves Fund, and an increase in employers’ PRSI contributions.

It also argues against the privatisation of the long-awaited auto enrolment scheme, which would give all employees access to an occupational pension with contributions from workers, their employer and the State.

The Pensions Commission launched its consultative process in February, with a view to looking at ways to ensure the long-term sustainability of State pensions and the social insurance fund.

Fórsa official Billy Hannigan said that the union strongly supported the ICTU submission, and has been advocating for its recommendations for some time.

“Congress and its affiliates have long advocated for income support for working people in retirement,” he said.

The submission makes a strong case against the privatisation of the auto-enrolment pension scheme, which has long been seen as an essential tool in ensuring people have enough to live on in retirement. Ireland is currently the only OECD country lacking a mandatory occupational pension for its workforce.

“Congress is calling for the auto-enrolment scheme to be managed and paid out as a pay-related top-up benefit on the contributory State pension to auto-enrolled beneficiaries. This has the potential to transform the State pension, so that pensioners avoid poverty and maintain their pre-retirement standard of living,” he said.

The ICTU submission calls for a full retirement pension at age 65. The age for eligibility for the State pension was increased to 66 in 2014, though plans to raise it to 67 from this year have been suspended.

While the benefit payment for 65 year olds, introduced earlier this year, was signaled as progress, unions criticised the fact that it’s €45 a week less than the State pension.

“This leaves low-income retirees, who do not have a supplementary pension, dependent on a subsistence benefit that is significantly below the poverty line. This has to be rectified,” said Billy.

The Commission on Pensions is due to report its findings, options and recommendations to the social protection minister by the end of June.

Read ICTU’s submission HERE. 

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Fórsa has raised concerns over sick leave arrangements for staff who suffer from ‘long Covid.’

In recent engagements with senior officials of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), the union said changes to DPER’s approach to Covid-related sick leave risked leaving long Covid sufferers with reduced incomes. It said some such cases had already emerged.

In general, 28 days’ worth of special leave with full pay is available for staff who contract the virus. This doesn’t count towards their normal paid sick leave ceiling.

The most recent DPER circular on the subject says this can be extended in circumstances where a worker has been attending their work premises during the 14 days prior to a positive Covid test.

Most people who contract the virus, and don’t need intensive care treatment, recover within three weeks. But some experience debilitating symptoms for months after the infection has gone.

These commonly include profound fatigue, but long Covid sufferers can also experience coughs, breathlessness, muscle and body aches, chest heaviness, skin rashes, palpitations, fever, headaches, diarrhoea, or pins and needles.

In a letter to DPER, Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said the situation in relation to long Covid continues to evolve, with greater awareness and evidence emerging about the significance for those who suffer from it.

And he said provisions for extending the leave in cases where employees had been in the workplace prior to contracting the virus are not sufficiently understood by managers.

The union is continuing to engage with senior management on the issue.

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Get involved in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' (ICTU) campaign to tackle misinformation surrounding mask-wearing. Under the banner ‘pro-mask is pro-worker,’ the initiative will highlight the importance of following public health guidelines to protect workers. 

From next week, Fórsa is asking members to participate by taking a selfie wearing a facemask and posting it to social media using the hashtags #ProMaskIsProWorker and #StrongerTogether. 

Members are also encouraged to email a selfie to Fórsa’s director of campaigning at joconnor@forsa.ie, along with a story or quote as to why compliance with mask wearing, uptake of vaccines, or generally adhering to the public health measures is important to them in their work.

A selection of these will be posted across Fórsa’s social media channels in the coming days and weeks.  

This campaign forms part of the union movement’s efforts to counteract dangerous messaging emerging from far-right groups, which seeks to undermine public health guidance and place frontline and essential workers at increased risk.  

Fórsa deputy general secretary, Eoin Ronayne condemned the anti-mask rhetoric. “It works directly against the efforts of our members, and is an insult to the loss and sacrifice suffered by so many in our country,” he said. 

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Fórsa was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former PSEU President Eoin Faherty, who died last week. A former Oireachtas employee, Eoin was loyal member and avid activist of the PSEU for over 20 years, in which he served two terms as president.

Fórsa official Billy Hannigan paid tribute to his friend and union colleague, describing him as larger than life, with an infectious enthusiasm. “Eoin was incredible fun and will be sorely missed by all who knew him,” said Billy.

Commending his commitment to the trade union movement, Billy described how Eoin worked tirelessly for members during a difficult industrial relations period. “Eoin served as president in the mid-1980s, when cutbacks, recruitment embargos and decentralisation were at the fore. He met these issues head on, and was fiercely loyal to the union and its members,” said Billy.

Eoin was also involved in trade union matters abroad. After befriending Mike Grindley, he played a leading role in the reestablishment of trade union rights at GCHQ after the Thatcher made it illegal for civil servants there to join a union.

Eoin was also a keen sportsman, and a founding member of the Oireachtas rugby team, which was established in 1995. In this heartfelt tribute, Senator John McGahan paid tribute to his hard work and contribution to the Oireachtas. 

Our thoughts are with Eoin’s wife Carmel, children Grainne, Darragh and Emmet, and extended family and friends at this time.

Fórsa marked this year’s International Women’s Day 2021 with a week-long programme of online content, incorporating this year’s ‘choose to challenge’ theme.

In a series of blog posts featured on our website, a number of women’s issues were discussed, ranging from the gender pay gap, to domestic violence workplace policies and the gender pension gap.

With guest contributions from Fórsa’s activist Melissa Brennan, and Siptu deputy general secretary Ethel Buckley, the series is both informative and thought-provoking.

For more information on the series click HERE.

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New legislation being drafted by the European Commission will oblige large companies to publish details of their gender pay gaps.

The draft directive would see firms with more than 250 employees publishing annual pay gap stats, which would cover bonuses and benefits as well as core pay. The legislation will also compel firms to reveal the proportion of men and women in each pay band.

Under the proposed rules, employers would be prohibited from asking interviewees about their pay history. And they would have to inform job applicants about pay ranges prior to any job interview.

The laws would extend to smaller firms as well, although they would not be required to make the information public. Instead, they would have to provide the information to employees on request.

Ireland currently has a pay gap of 14.4%, according to Eurostat figures.

Fórsa’s equality officer Andy Pike said that the proposed directive would be a step forward to eliminate pay secrecy, but there was a lot of work to be done still.

“The directive calls on firms to publish data on their differences, but it falls short of proposing proactive methods to tackle the gap. It does little to call on employers to actively take steps to reduce the gaps or equip firms with the necessary skills and tools to combat the issue.

“The announcement by Minister O’Gorman to further our own domestic bill is welcome, but as with the EU legislation, attention must be paid to measures to tackle the gap. Transparency alone around the issue is not enough.

There is a real opportunity now for trade unions to be part of this conversation and make use of collective bargaining to devise and implement restorative measures,” he said.

The legislation says a company-wide pay assessment would be triggered if average pay differences of 5% or more were reported. This could lead to filing of compensation claims in the courts. But decisions on fines or penalties would be at the discretion of national authorities, with input from equality bodies and employee organisations.

At present, 13 EU countries have binding pay transparency rules in place. If the bill is agreed by the bloc’s 27 members, it would have to be drafted into national law within two years.

Meanwhile, Irish equality minister Roderic O’Gorman has said he was committed to enacting the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill “as early as possible.” Earlier this week he said he would bring amendments to Cabinet in the next fortnight.

The Bill, which would place requirements on employers to reveal pay gap information, was first published in 2019. But little was done to further its progression.

Read the European Commission proposals HERE.

It’s never been more important – or easier – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

Fairtrade fortnight, which ran from 22^nd February to 7^th March 2021, focused its attention on climate change this year to highlight the growing challenges that climate change brings to farmers and workers in the communities Fairtrade works with.

The annual campaign, which runs for two weeks each year, raises awareness on alternative approaches to conventional trade. It’s based on a partnership between some of the most disadvantaged farmers and workers in the developing world and the people who buy their products.

Fair trade terms give farmers and workers a better deal, and an opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. It offers people a powerful way to reduce poverty through their everyday shopping.

Building on research by Oliver Moore, the campaign says the majority of greenhouse gas emissions have occurred in the last 30 years, and over 90% of emissions have come from the places like Europe and the US.

The campaign says those who have contributed the least to the carbon crisis should not have to pay the highest price to try and resolve it.

Yet, vulnerable rural populations in the global south are currently paying the highest price, as climate impacts are being seen in more frequent chaotic climate events like hurricanes, droughts and floods which add on to pre-existing vulnerabilities like poverty, exclusion and exploitation. 

Ireland’s leading climate change expert Professor John Sweeney said Ireland emits more greenhouse gases than the poorest 400 million people on the planet.

“Almost uniquely in the EU, Ireland is failing to meet its obligations and is increasing its greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

Fairtrade Ireland works to promote fair trading practices between Ireland and developing countries. It is a founding member of Fairtrade International, based in Germany, the organisation responsible for setting international fair trade standards.

Check out Irish partners and shop HERE. 

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The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has published new guidelines on the prevention of bullying and harassment for trade union activists. 

Produced by ICTU’s health and safety committee, the comprehensive guide encompasses the recent review of codes of practice on bullying carried out the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

The document also takes note of guidance provided in the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission’s code of practice on sexual harassment and harassment at work.

Fórsa official and ICTU health and safety committee member Dessie Robinson acknowledged the significant work done to create the policy document, and encouraged all activists to familiarise themselves with it.

“This is a living document for our people, and I would encourage all activists to read it and use it in their union work,” he said.

The ICTU guide on the prevention of bullying and harassment for trade union activists can be viewed HERE. 

It’s never been more important – or easier – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

The Justice for Undocumented (JFU) group has called on unions and other membership organisations to support its continuing efforts to voice the priorities of undocumented people, ahead of the publication of the regularisation scheme for undocumented people, which is to open before the end of 2021.

Preparations for the scheme are already underway at the Department of Justice and Equality. The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) is seeking support “to make sure no one is left behind” as the group ramp up their efforts with a number of actions, including a social media campaign for Saint Patrick’s Day.

Justice for the Undocumented (JFU) is a community of people living in Ireland without an official status. The group campaigns “for a pathway to papers for all undocumented people in Ireland. We believe that if you are living here and working here, you belong here.”

The social media action invites everyone to show their support for regularisation, and to ask justice minister Helen McEntee to ensure the scheme benefits as many undocumented people as possible.

The campaign is asking for support “at a pivotal time” and the group is campaigning for the scheme “to be as broad and inclusive as possible so that no one is left behind.”

You can sign up to support the Justice for Undocumented campaign through the MRCI’s website HERE. 

It’s never been more important – or easier – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

Fórsa is here to protect you if you have problems arising from the coronavirus or other workplace issues. The best way to contact the union at this time is HERE.

We will deal with queries as quickly as we can but, needless to say, the union will prioritise cases where members’ jobs and incomes are at immediate risk – as well as any serious health and safety issues that may arise.

Fórsa has cancelled all face-to-face meetings for the time being. The union is redeploying its staff to prioritise engagement with management on proposals arising from the Covid-19 public health crisis, and to provide rapid and efficient responses to members’ queries and concerns.

Fórsa's main phone line (01 817 1500) is now open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively members can use the Contact Us page on the Fórsa website to submit queries directly to the relevant division within Fórsa and this remains the most efficient way to access advice directly.

Wherever possible, Fórsa staff have been equipped to work remotely. Therefore, members should not attend Fórsa offices at this time. If you have a query or concern, the best way to raise it is to contact the union HERE.

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/