A familiar face to union members past and present, deputy general secretary Matt Staunton will retire at the end of the month.  

Before becoming a full-time union official, Matt was an activist in the Tax Officials Union, when he worked at the Revenue Commissioners, however that wasn’t the start of his union activism. 

In 1979 Matt spent seven months on strike while working as a postman. Describing that strike as “long and dirty” today he nonetheless credits it with giving him a deep understanding of the realities facing workers taking industrial action. 

Matt joining the Dublin City IMPACT Branch at the ICTU Day of Protest 6th November 2009.

In the 1990s Matt started working full time for the union. In IMPACT he served as a trade union organiser, official and national secretary. During that time, he worked in the health sector, the civil service, education and local authorities. From 2010 to 2015 he headed up the services and enterprises division before becoming IMPACT’s general manager. 

In that role, Matt updated and modernised all the union’s buildings and spearheaded the creation of Fórsa, including organising its inaugural biennial conference in Tralee in 2018. 

In 2019 Matt became deputy general secretary, a role in which his sound counsel, calm demeanour, and deep sense of fairness have been universally appreciated by members and colleagues alike.

Matt with former national secretary Angela Kirk and former head of communications Bernard Harbor arriving at the High Court Dublin during the 2019 Ryanair case.

His prudent management of the union’s finances has been of crucial importance in recent years, as well as his capacity to navigate at times choppy waters, from High Court cases to a global pandemic.

Speaking about his upcoming retirement general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “It’s an understatement to say Matt will be missed on a daily basis here in Nerney’s Court. He has done so much to build Fórsa and to support staff and members over the years.  

“Aside from his huge impact on industrial relations in Ireland, he leaves a lasting legacy in regard to member services and supports. In fact, it was Matt who came up with the €5000 schemes Fórsa members can avail of in times of deep personal distress. Schemes like these make the trade union value of solidarity a concrete reality. So many people have benefited from these schemes. And ultimately that is down to Matt.” 

Matt meeting President Michael D Higgins at this year's May Day Union Leaders' event at Áras an Uachtaráin.

“We’ve worked together every day for six and a half years. I’ll miss his collegiate approach to our work and his vast knowledge. Nonetheless, we wish him well in this new chapter, where he will hopefully have more time for family, travel and other pursuits!” 

Colleagues note that they will miss his steady hand and at times dry wit. Martina O’Leary, Fórsa’s Data Protection Officer, who worked with Matt over several decades, and most recently as part of the union’s operations team, said: “He really has been an outstanding colleague and leader. His keen sense of detail, and innate fairness have made working with him a pleasure for all.” 

Following his appointment as deputy general secretary in 2019 Matt told the bulletin: “My immediate concern is to grow and strengthen Fórsa so that we can follow through on the amalgamation and deliver a union that looks after its members and their families from cradle to grave, and that all members are proud to be part of." Looking back over the last six years no one could question his immense contribution to the achievement of those aims. 

A fond farewell for Matt as colleagues wish him the best in his retirement.

Speaking at his final consultative council in November, Matt noted, in a typically understated manner, that it had been a “privilege to serve those who serve”. His remarks were met by a lengthy standing ovation – a sign of the esteem and appreciation in which those he sought to serve hold him. 

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