Fórsa members working in Pobal’s Better Start have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.

Fórsa said the union is in dispute with Pobal management due to its refusal to implement the recommendations of an independent report on pay for Grade 2 Early Years Specialists.

Ninety-five percent of Better Start members took part in the online ballot with over 98% members voting yes to a ballot on industrial action.

Grade 2 Early Years Specialists work directly with early year’s services in a mentoring role to build capacity to deliver high quality, inclusive early childhood care and education experiences for children and families. Grade 2 Early Years Specialists also work support a range of diverse early years Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) settings to assist them in enabling inclusive practice and the optimal participation of a child with additional needs in the pre-school room.

The union had previously engaged in talks with management both locally and at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in an attempt to resolve the dispute, but to date management have refused to constructively engage.

Fórsa's Derek Kelleher explained the union previously delivered a petition calling on Pobal to implement the findings of a report, to no avail.

“We delivered a petition signed by 86% of Pobal’s early years specialist Grade 2 workers calling for the findings of the Talbot Pierce report to be implemented. Unfortunately, management have refused to constructively engage on this issue and continue to refuse to extend the salary scale,” he said.

Derek said that members had been left with no choice but to escalate this dispute.

“Our members, who work tirelessly to support children in our communities, have given us a strong mandate to deliver on this issue. We believe this overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action will show management that workers will not be disrespected and will force them back into negotiations. Fórsa remains willing to commence talks with management at any time, as has always been our position,” he said.

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