Fórsa’s members’ survey has revealed very strong support for the union to pursue inflation-matching pay increases, including in the next round of public service pay talks.

Fórsa’s Education and Training Board (ETB) branch has criticised the failure of the Department of Education and the Government to negotiate on a second phase of organisational design for ETBs, which would include a review of all grades and functions.

Fórsa’s ETB branch has called for an end to the outsourcing of administrative work in Education and Training Boards (ETBs), criticising the practice of “paying premium rates to private companies” rather than sanction the creation of sustainable local jobs.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan has said newly proposed economic rules - published at the end of April by the European Commission - risk the return of austerity at a time when most EU states are still recovering from a decade lost to EU-led austerity.

The next instalment of the Fórsa Skills Academy ‘Lunch and Learn’ series will take place on Friday 26th May from 1pm – 2pm, focusing on how to speak to workers about the union.

Fórsa’s campaigning summer series is set to return on the 26^th and 27^th June in The Hodson Bay hotel, Athlone. The two-day event will provide new and developing Fórsa activists with the training to engage in key campaigning activity.