Fórsa attended the WRC on 10th February on behalf of members employed by the state agency Pobal in the early years programme, Better Start.

Last December, members petitioned Pobal management and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD, in a dispute over an independent pay review.

The petition called on Pobal management to engage with staff representatives, and to commence the process of implementing the advice of a recent independent review (by Talbot Pierce) to improve Better Start workers’ pay scales, to better reflect the professional roles and responsibilities of staff.

The matter was referred to the WRC by the employer.

Fórsa official Derek Kelleher said the meeting on 10th February had involved in-depth discussions on the outstanding pay issue: “The commission requested that both parties engage locally to examine the costs associated with our claim for an extra five points on the G2 scale, as per the advice of the independent review, and to engage in further discussions. We’re back for a further conciliation hearing in the WRC on Monday 3rd April,” he said.

Derek added: “This group of staff provide a range of services that play a crucial role in the quality and development of early years education services, ensuring an inclusive learning environment for children with specific needs.

“The union has brought the matter to the minister’s attention because these workers provide early years quality and inclusion services under the auspices of the minister’s department.

“Fórsa believes that the recommendation to improve the pay scales is both appropriate and essential, as it is based on a thorough independent analysis in which the range, scope and level of work undertaken was closely examined.

“Better Start staff are working under considerable pressure, with competing demands and overwhelming caseloads as the norm,” he said.

Derek has said Fórsa members at Better Start are concerned that the service is being compromised, both by a shortage of staffing - exacerbated by pay terms which fail to compete in the current labour market - and increasing staff exits due to the mismatch, identified by the independent review, between current pay terms and the professional responsibilities of the staff affected.