Fórsa members working in local authorities will commence a campaign of industrial action on 21^st and 22nd June, in an ongoing dispute with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) over their refusal to establish a job evaluation scheme.

The union formally served notice to the LGMA management yesterday evening (1^st June), after members working in local authorities voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.

Fórsa initially wrote to the LGMA on the 8^th May 2023 formally advising management of the outcome of the ballot on job evaluation, but has yet to receive either a response or acknowledgement to that correspondence.

Fórsa’s Head of Local Government and Local Services Richy Carrothers said that the management’s refusal to negotiate or even conciliate using the state machinery for dispute resolution is "a clear breach of the current public service agreement aimed at ensuring industrial peace.”

“We have been left with no other option but to escalate our dispute, this action is a last resort. We have a strong mandate from our members, and this dispute isn’t going to go away by ignoring it, which is exactly what the LGMA has attempted to do,” he said.

Richy urged the LGMA to immediately return to due process under the auspices of the WRC.

“Fórsa representatives remain available for meaningful and solution-focused engagement, as has always been our position. A small window of opportunity exists right now to resolve the dispute by engaging in meaningful negotiations and to avoid escalation of this dispute, but that window is closing,” he stressed.

The union represents more than 10,000 local government and services workers including clerical, administrative, management, technical and professional staff.

Job evaluation, which has been established in the health and higher education sectors, is a process for measuring the relative worth of posts in an organisation based on the work a post-holder is doing or is expected to do.

Fórsa maintains that local authority workers continue to take responsibility for additional duties and responsibilities assigned to them during the economic crisis, when 10,000 jobs were lost from the sector.

Richy encouraged branches engage with non-members with a view to asking them to join the union as we move into this industrial action space.

“There is power in this union, and we must work together to organise workers around this issue in local authorities. No resolution can be achieved in this dispute unless there is an agreement with Fórsa on the introduction of an acceptable job evaluation scheme for local authority staff,” he said.

Branches will receive detailed information on the action shortly.

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

Fórsa strongly condemns the recent attacks and threats against asylum seekers across the country, and stands in solidarity with refugees, international protection applicants and their representative organisations.

The recent disturbing sights of groups of people blocking roads and burning down encampment sites has been a troubling development, and the targeting and abuse of those outside the International Protection Office on Mount Street in Dublin is further evidence of attacks by the far right and their supporters on vulnerable individuals seeking safety and refuge.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights has already raised concerns about the issue of homelessness among international protection applicants in Ireland and said the State may not be meeting the minimum requirements under European law.

Fórsa General Secretary, Kevin Callinan condemned the attacks and said that the best way to defeat the far right is by delivering decent work, wages, rights, public services, and homes for all.

“The trade union movement stands with refugees and international protection applicants and their representative organisations. We will continue to build solidarity between working people of all backgrounds and to work towards ensuring that the messages of the far right never gain mainstream traction in our unions, communities, and workplaces”.

The Irish Congress of Trade Union has also supported calls by the Irish Refugee Council for asylum seekers without accommodation to be brought off the streets immediately and placed in temporary accommodation to ensure their safety. 

ICTU called on Government to urgently address the failures in our international protection system and work with communities in providing a supportive environment for those seeking protection.

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

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called for the national minimum wage to be increased in January 2024 by €2, making the hourly rate €13.30.

In a submission to the Low Pay Commission, ICTU said such an increase would go a considerable distance to providing a decent standard of living for low paid workers. ICTU is also calling for the minimum wage to increase by another €2 in January 2025.

"Low paid workers on the national minimum wage are hurting disproportionately in this cost-of-living crisis. Increases to the NMW in 2021 and 2022 were well behind inflation hence the need for a more meaningful increase now.

We have a tight labour market and work must pay, particularly for the most vulnerable in this cost-of-living crisis,” said ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy.

Last year, a new national living wage was agreed, to replace the minimum wage by 2026. The new living wage will be phased in over a four-year period and commenced in January 2023. It will be set at 60% of the hourly median wage.

Under the agreement the Low Pay Commission will have discretion to use adjustment mechanisms to speed up or slow down progress towards 60% of the hourly median wage in response to any specific circumstances that have had a significant impact on economic conditions.

Once the living wage comes into effect in 2026, subject to an assessment of the impact of the change, the Low Pay Commission will advise on the practicalities of gradually increasing the targeted threshold rate towards 66% of the hourly median wage.

While the new living wage scheme has been broadly welcomed, workers under the age of 18 are still only guaranteed up to 70% of the national minimum wage. Mr Reidy said that the reductions to the minimum wage on age grounds were “ill-judged and outdated” and called on the living wage to be fast tracked.

“It is wrong that we pay adults a percentage of the national minimum wage. If you are old enough to work you are old enough to earn the full minimum wage and apprenticeships should no longer be excluded from the national minimum wage,” he said.

Mr Reidy said that young workers had been let down by society and our economy.

“They are in many instances in precarious low-paid work and are all but excluded from the housing and rental market given the immense housing crisis we are living through. Getting to the real living wage as envisaged by the recently agreed Adequate Minimum Wages Directive by 2025 is the minimum low paid and younger workers should expect,” he said.

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

The Housing Commission is calling on young people aged 18-39 to participate in a survey designed to gain insight into the experience of purchasing and renting accommodation in Ireland.

Established last year in line with the Government programme, Housing For All, The Housing Commission is responsible for conducting independent evaluations of the housing system in Ireland, like issues of tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality of life issues related to the provision of housing.

The survey, designed and carried out by The Housing Commission, contains a series of multiple-choice questions that record both demographic and income information. All submissions are anonymous and confidential, with no response linked back to a particular individual or organisation.

As an active union in the fight for more and better housing opportunity, Fórsa is encouraging members aged between 18 -39 to complete the survey no later than the 9^th of June 2023.

The survey can be accessed here: 

https://redclive.online-host.solutions/ASP/P022938HC/loginHC.asp?sorg=18

Any additional questions can be relayed to Juliette Cooper at jcooper@forsa.ie.

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

Fórsa’s Global Solidarity Autumn School will take place on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th November in Nerney’s Court, Dublin.

The school will provide a unique opportunity for interested members to discuss a range of international, trade union and human rights issues.

Delegates will hear about projects that Fórsa actively fund across the world, and it will also be an opportunity to hear about the union’s global solidarity work.

More information on the event will be circulated to branches in the coming weeks. In the meantime, members can contact internationalsolidarity@forsa.ie if they have queries.

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

KennCo Insurance offer Fórsa members a special discount on their travel insurance.

Our low cost Annual Multi-Trip cover costs just €64.90 (effective 1/1/23) for Fórsa members which includes cover for your spouse/partner and dependent children.*

This Fórsa member offer covers individuals, couples and families with Travel Insurance to protect your holiday.

*Dependent children up to and including 17 years old only or if still in full time education up to and including 22 years old. Applies to individuals 70 years and under only. You must be living with your partner for at least 6 months. Terms and conditions will apply.

Main Features

• Annual Multi-trip cover
• Worldwide
• 365-day, 24 hour emergency medical assistance service during your insured trip
• Cancellation & Curtailment – up to €6,000
• Lost Baggage – up to €3,000
• Medical & Emergency Expenses – up to €10,000,000
• Personal Accident – up €30,000
• Travel Delay and Disruption – up to €6,000
• Public Liability – up to €2,500,0000
• Winter Sports & Scuba Diving Included
• Cruise cover up to €300

Terms, conditions and excesses will apply.

Get more information and a secure quote HERE. 

KennCo Underwriting Ltd T/A KennCo Insurance is regulated by The Central Bank of Ireland.

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

Fórsa members can now save 50% on their AA Roadside Rescue plan, through a new and exclusive union negotiated scheme.

This new AA Roadside Rescue offer provides for 24/7 roadside breakdown assistance in Ireland and the UK for just €6 a month, and will provide cover whether driving or as a passenger.

This new offer can be accessed exclusively through this portal.

Contact the AA here for more information.