Yesterday was a significant day for hundreds of school secretaries working across the country as it was the first time they were paid through the Department of Education’s payroll.
The agreement, negotiated by Fórsa, significantly improves incomes and paid leave arrangements for school secretaries, who have been undervalued for years.
Chairperson of Fórsa’s school secretaries’ branch Luisa Carty hailed the development as a “momentous day for us all” and “one I won’t forget.”
You can watch her explain the significance of the campaign and this win for our members in the video above. Listen to why Luisa says joining the union was, in her words, “the best move I ever made with regards to my livelihood”. You can also share this video with other school secretaries who ask you why they should join the union.
Secretaries’ salaries will now be averaged over 52 weeks, including the cash value of job seekers benefit, which means secretaries will no longer have to sign on for unemployment benefits during school holidays. This new arrangement went live as soon as staff were transferred to the Department’s payroll.
We could not be more proud of our members who have been celebrating and sharing moments from receiving this exciting new post in their mailboxes all day yesterday.
Fórsa’s Education Organiser Seamus Ryan added “After 45 years and intensive campaigning by our secretaries branch over the past four years, school secretaries pay, terms and conditions are now back under the Department of Education and not that of local school Boards of Management.
"This is providing secretaries with a real pay scale with genuine progression for the first time, along with clarity on what their pay and entitlements will be for a role that is vital to the smooth running of schools. However, this is not the end of this campaign as secretaries still need to be brought into line with the rights and entitlements that Special Needs Assistants and secretaries working in ETBs have as standard in areas like pensions, public service status and bereavement leave. That’s why we are asking and encouraging secretaries who have hung back on joining Fórsa to take the leap and do so now, it is only together that we will bring this campaign home for all secretaries,” said Seamus.
The First Department of Education Payslip Explained
Fórsa’s school secretaries branch have produced a detailed guide to explain the new Department of Education payslip!
IN THIS DOCUMENT you will find a brief explanation and a breakdown of payslip dates, payslip points and other important information relating to this new arrangement, as well as a sample departmental payslip so you know exactly what to look out for.
If you have encountered any problems or have not been paid by today Friday 15th September, then please let us know. We have reopened the query form to members so you can fill it out at this link.
The success that Fórsa has had to date in improving the position of school secretaries has been down to its members and the increased number of school secretaries to build on that success we need to keep growing. Joining Fórsa could not be easier, all you need is your payroll number.
This momentous win for our school secretaries is just the beginning. Working together we can win on pensions, bereavement leave, and so much more. Help us build the union by:
- Forwarding this email to your colleagues who haven’t yet joined the union
- Sharing Luisa’s video on social media
- Downloading this poster to distribute and display in your workplace
Thank you for your continued support.
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