Dear colleagues,

As summer slowly turns to autumn, and children settle back to school, your union has been hard at work over the summer putting in place plans for the months ahead.

Budget day has been announced as Tuesday 1st October. In this bulletin you’ll find a piece on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) pre-budget submission, which we fully support. I have also written to Minister Peter Burke T.D. calling on him to do everything he can to ensure tax relief on union subscriptions is re-instated.

This move would send a signal that union members are respected and demonstrate the government’s commitment to making the EU Adequate Minimum Wages directive part of Irish law. 

Over 20,000 of you took part in this summer’s Amárach survey. Thank you for taking the time to tell us what is going on in your working lives. Your responses enable us to know that when we talk to employers and to politicians, we’re speaking about what you really care about. So, what did you tell us? 

84% of you said that pay improvement will inform how you will vote in the next election, while 74% said that they would be more likely to vote for parties that would commit to negotiating pay increases that go beyond inflation.

Three quarters of members who took part in the survey want a four-day week and will support candidates and political parties that would pledge to run a trial of a four-day working week in the public service.

Investment in community health is an issue of utmost importance to members with 81% saying they will vote for candidates and parties who make this a priority. Elsewhere, support for a referendum on public ownership of water services and for affordable childcare have increased. 

A general election is on the horizon. While it’s not yet clear if it will take place in late 2024 or early 2025, the bookie’s favourite seems to be November. In October Fórsa will release a manifesto, highlighting our members’ priorities. 

While we are not a political party, the membership surveys we carried out in 2020, 2023 and again this summer, clearly show a demand among members for better pay and working conditions, a re-imagined working week, and investment in public services. That’s what we will focus on at a political level, and as we do every day in workplaces across the country. 

I would also like to pay tribute to our recently deceased colleague from ICTU Macdara Doyle who passed away last week after a short illness. His contribution to our movement will not be forgotten.

Let me finish by wishing you all the very best in the months ahead. As your general secretary my door is always open. I want to hear from members, activists, and branches about what’s going on in your areas, so if you feel the union can do more for you and your colleagues please get in touch. 

Thank you,
Kevin Callinan
General Secretary

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