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.

School secretaries are to be paid through the Department of Education payroll system for the first time on September 14th. Previously, the amount paid varied from school to school – and some secretaries were paid less than the minimum wage.

The agreement, negotiated by Fórsa, significantly improves incomes and paid leave arrangements for low-paid secretaries, who the union says have been overlooked and undervalued for years.

Secretaries’ salaries will now be averaged over 52 weeks, including the cash value of job seekers benefit, which means secretaries will no longer have to sign on for unemployment benefits during school holidays. This new arrangement will commence as soon as staff go live on payroll.

Fórsa has worked tirelessly throughout the summer in anticipation of these changes. During these months a small number of schools refused to pay their secretaries which has resulted in the union securing payments for its members. In two instances, Fórsa members received over €10,000 in wages due back from the summer.

Chair of the school secretaries branch and member of the Divisional Executive, Luisa Carty, welcomed the historic new pay structure saying that the campaign has spanned years – but started gathering momentum in 2019 with the “Support our Secretaries” or SOS campaign.

“School secretaries are the hub of the school. They’re the first person you meet as you walk in the door. Originally there were huge numbers of school secretaries who weren’t even getting the minimum wage.

“We went to meetings across the country and found huge disparity. Fórsa officials have worked tirelessly to get this across the line. Not all school secretaries are happy with the deal, but most are, and we’ll move forward from this and get our pensions, sick leave and bereavement leave from our next campaign,” she said. 

Fórsa has welcomed a new Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement about pay and a future employment framework for School Completion Programme (SCP) workers.

The union has long been engaged in efforts to ensure all SCP workers were paid in accordance with public service pay rates, and for greater certainty on the future status of the scheme since it was subject to particularly deep cuts in the wake of the 2009 financial crisis. Responsibility for SCP had also been moved between Government departments, casting doubt on its future.

In early August, Fórsa secured a WRC agreement which provides for the application of public service salary scales to all SCP workers. In addition, the Department of Education has agreed to provide clarity on the future employment framework for SCP staff by September 2024, with quarterly meetings between Fórsa and the Department to review progress.

Fórsa’s head of Education, Andy Pike, said the agreement marked welcome progress: “School Completion Programmes provide a vital service for thousands of students who rely on their help and assistance to complete their programme of education.

“This agreement will ensure that staff are paid fairly in accordance with public sector rates and salary scales. The commitment to develop an employment framework for staff by the start of the next school year in September 2024 is also very welcome.

“We hope that the department will work towards regularising the employment status of SCP staff alongside colleagues who benefit from public service status,” he said.

Andy added that the new agreement will help to resolve problems for staff employed locally by individual programmes in recent years: “In some instances SCP staff haven’t received pay awards, have not been on the correct public service scales and have not received increments as they should, while about 30% of staff are employed by ETBs and are employed as public servants,” he said.

The new agreement means the Department of Education has agreed to instruct Tusla to apply the correct public service pay rates and scales to SCP staff employed by local programmes by 2nd October.

The SCP is currently administered through Tusla, the child and family agency, while the Department of Education is responsible for funding and policy. Fórsa has been lobbying for a policy decision on the future governance and direction of the service following Fórsa’s national SCP Symposium held in March 2022, which was attended by then Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

The Fórsa Youth Network will be hosting an event on the housing crisis “Locked Out: The Working Homeless”, at 6.30pm on Friday, September 29th in Nerney's Court.

A panel of industry experts will discuss the challenges facing young workers who cannot find anywhere to live, explore the impact of the housing crisis on workers, and discuss the action that can be taken by the trade union movement. 

This event is hosted by Fórsa's Youth Network however the event is open to members of all ages. 

Register here to attend this event.

Dear member, 

This time of year often brings with it a sense of renewed opportunity and plans for the months ahead, as schools reopen and holidays come to an end. Here at Fórsa we have a busy schedule of events open to all members, from trainings to seminars, between now and the end of year, which I hope that you will enjoy. 

A core focus of our work this Autumn will be negotiating a new national pay agreement for public sector workers. The extension of the Building Momentum agreement expires at the end of 2023, with the final pay instalment due on 1st October. 

While the review of the agreement in 2022 brought much needed pay increases, inflation continues to erode the pay of all workers, and the cost of everyday living is a constant challenge. Earlier this year, 99% of respondents to our members’ survey told us that negotiated pay rises must match inflation, and for many this was an issue on which they would be prepared to take industrial action. This message from you is a mandate for Fórsa.

While global events create some uncertainty, the Government is managing record budgetary surpluses. This provides a unique – if challenging - negotiating context for a successor to Building Momentum.  It is imperative now that a date for the beginning of pay talks is set. 

While many Fórsa members will have benefitted from a break over the summer months, a lot of activity continues, and significant progress was made on several issues in the past week. 

Thanks to progress made at the WRC planned industrial action was suspended in the health sector, where the union had served notice of industrial action in disputes over a career pathway review for health and social care professionals, and the recruitment pause on clerical admin and managerial grades in the HSE. Similarly, after several months of the employer refusing to negotiate with the union, Fórsa signed an industrial relations agreement last week with Emerald Airlines.

Disputes are also ongoing in relation to job evaluation in local authorities and Tusla, while Fórsa continues to work with other unions in attempts to resolve pay disparities for health workers in the community and voluntary sector, and those members are currently being balloted for industrial action. 

There have been notable wins in other areas, and I would like to particularly congratulate everyone involved in Fórsa’s School Secretaries campaign. This school year they finally have the recognition they deserve as they go back to school on the Department of Education payroll.

 
Our collective strength is in our members. This year our union membership has been growing across all divisions, and that growth empowers us when we negotiate on your behalf. To keep it going we need your help. 

The most effective thing you can do today to support your union is to ask your colleagues: ‘Have you joined the union yet?’. You can also download and print this poster to distribute or display in your workplace. 

Thank you for your continued support,

Kevin Callinan,

General Secretary,

Fórsa

Applications are now open for the 2024 Fórsa Gaeltacht grant scheme. 80 grants of €150 each are available to assist children of Fórsa members attending residential Irish language courses in Gaeltacht areas next summer. 

A further 40 grants of €70 are available to assist children to attend day-only Irish language courses held outside Gaeltacht areas. 

Children of Fórsa members, who are aged between 11 years and 18 years of age on 1st July 2024, are eligible to apply for the grant scheme. You can download the application form HERE.

Please note that in order to ensure as many children as possible can benefit from this scheme a child who received a scholarship in this scheme in 2023 is not eligible for receipt of the scholarship in 2024.  A list of winners in 2023 is available on the Fórsa website.

Only one application per child is permissible. Multiple applications for the same child will not be considered.

Applications must be received on or before 5.00pm on Friday October 6^th, 2023.  The draw will take place shortly thereafter.  All queries should be sent to gaeltacht@forsa.ie.

Application forms can be submitted either by email to gaeltacht@forsa.ieor by post to Fórsa Head Office to the following address: General Services Committee, Gaeltacht Scheme, Fórsa, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1, D01 R2C5. Only one method of application per applicant is allowed.

A list of last year's winners is available on the Fórsa website.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

As Summer turns to Autumn many of us turn our minds to learning.

Our Skills Academy offers training for members, workplace representatives, and branch activists throughout the year, for more information on upcoming courses check out our calendar for the year ahead here.

However if you don’t have the time to sign up to a specific course at the moment, did you know that all our Lunch & Learn trainings are available on the Fórsa Skills Academy YouTube channel?

These hour-long sessions provide insights and overviews of a range of different topics so if you’re looking to learn how to draft a motion, brush up on your public speaking skills, or for insights into how to speak about your union, and build membership you can watch back all the sessions in your own time here. 

Have you ever wanted to join a friendly, active and non-competitive choir? Then the People’s College Choir could be for you!  

The mixed-voice choir of 45 members is now recruiting new members. You can find out more about the choir’s affiliations with Fórsa and other unions by clicking HERE.

The choir was founded in 1993 by then President of the People’s College, Dr Sheila Conroy, the first ever female member of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union Executive. The College itself was established in 1948 to promote worker and cultural education and the choir is part of that wider programme. Members are trade union and community activists from Dublin, and neighbouring counties. 

The choir sings an extensive range of songs in a non-competitive atmosphere; some old, some new, some folk, traditional Irish airs and modern popular songs as well as songs of social progress ‒ some of which have been performed at trade union organised events including in Áras an Uachtaráin.

The choir rehearse from 8.30 p.m. until 10 p.m. each Tuesday evening in Club na Múinteoirí (the ‘Teachers’ Club’, Parnell Square). The choral year runs from September until May of the following year. 

If you are interested in joining you can contact the musical director, Paul Walsh, at peoplescollegechoir@gmail.com

The third Irish Labour History Society (ILHS) international event takes place from 14th to 17th September across a number of venues, including the Liberty Hall Theatre and Fórsa’s head office at Nerney’s Court.

The conference will feature panel discussions with academics, trade union representatives, activists and representatives of migrant workers. Fórsa general secretary, Kevin Callinan, will take part in a discussion on the issue of social dialogue with Danny McCoy of Ibec on Sunday, 17th September.

The conference kicks off on Thursday at 2:30pm in Liberty Hall with an introduction and welcome from Shay Cody, Chair of the ILHS. The programme includes panels and presentations on:

• Press for Labour Rights – Keeping it real in a world of AI
• Discursive studies reviewing Social Partnership; The Peace Process, Good Friday Agreement and Brexit
• Gender, Class & Labour History Since 1980
• Setting the scene, the Irish delegation to the ILO
• Irish Public Policy - ‘The Marriage Bar in the Civil Service 1893-1973

If you are interested in attending, please email ilhsconference@forsa.ie before the 12^th of September. The ILHS are partnered in this venture by ICTU, and with the Northern Ireland Committee of ICTU. You can find the full conference agenda HERE.