Fórsa has written to over 4,000 schools, nationally, to reiterate the use of the 72-hour obligation for special needs assistants (SNAs), as set out by the Department of Education.

In May this year, Fórsa received clarification from the Department that the 72-hours should only be used where there is appropriate work related to the role of the SNA that needs to be carried out. Furthermore, the use of the hours is task dependent, meaning that if a block of hours are allocated for a certain task the hours are finished whenever the work finishes, that the duties must fall within the agreed circular, and that working on book clubs, homework and breakfast clubs, extra-curricular/additional activities etc. are not in line with the provisions of the circular, and a such are not appropriate.

In his letter, addressed to school principals and Boards of Management, Fórsa official Shane Lambert explained that the purpose of the correspondence was to remind schools of the agreement in order to “avoid unnecessary industrial relations issues arising in the forthcoming year and to provide clarity on how such issues may be dealt with in a collaborative and collegiate manner”.

Shane also reminded the employer that only the nationally agreed contracts 12/ 2005 (Post Primary) and 15 / 2005 (Primary) should be used for contracts of employment, after Fórsa learned that a significant number of recent advertisements for posts were advertised on the basis of a 32-hour working week.

“We highlighted the clarifications in the Department correspondence with regard to the working week and the fact that it is not based on 32-hours but the classroom hours, and the contracts offered should not differ in any way to those agreed,” he said.

Shane advised that the union will be liaising with new entrant members in the coming weeks to ensure that contracts provided are consistent with those nationally agreed.

“Where this is not the case, we will again seek local engagement in order to try and resolve the matter but will pursue issues through other IR mechanisms or the states industrial relations machinery where required,” he explained.

Fórsa’s claim for the abolition of the 72-hours is still under discussion as part of the review of the national contract and further updates will issue once the contract review has progressed further.

A copy of the letter issued to all schools can be found HERE.