As the holiday season starts, the Irish aviation industry has renewed its shared commitment to tackle disruptive passenger behaviour through the ongoing #NotOnMyFlight campaign.
As the holiday season starts, the Irish aviation industry has renewed its shared commitment to tackle disruptive passenger behaviour through the ongoing #NotOnMyFlight campaign. Fórsa and IALPA have supported the unruly passenger charter since late last year, becoming a signatory to the Joint declaration on unruly passenger behaviour in airports and on aircraft.
Launching its public awareness campaign last week, as the busy travel period got underway, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) warned that disruptive air passengers will face a ‘zero tolerance’ response as there continues to be a rise in reports of unruly behaviour. So far this year there’s been more than 30 incidents already reported to Dublin Airport Garda station, an increase of 80% compared to the entirety of 2024.
Katie Morgan, Fórsa’s head of the union’s Services and Enterprises division, the divisional home for the union’s aviation branches, explained: “As a trade union, the potential risk to the health and safety of our members is a crucial matter of concern.
“We’ve seen first-hand the effect that some unruly passenger behaviour has had on our members. In that context we welcome any initiatives taken to help mitigate risks to aviation workers. “The joint approach of industry professionals closely aligns with the objectives of our union in terms of aviation members’ safety, and it’s a welcome initiative.
“We continue to work with this coalition to protect and improve the experience of aviation workers and passengers,” she said.
Captain Daniel Langan, IALPA Vice President, said, “Unruly passengers diminish safety both in the cabin and the flight deck by increasing the workload of pilots and crew. Sometimes this results in the pilot having to decide to divert the aircraft and deliver the unruly passenger into police custody.
Under international law, the sole person to deal with unruly passengers onboard an aircraft is the Captain, a responsibility we take very seriously for the safety of our crew and our passengers. Pilots welcome the #NotOnMyFlight campaign, and the focus on safety in the lead up to the busy travel period ahead.”
The union continues to engage with cabin crew members who’ve been affected by this issue. If you have been affected by unruly passenger behaviour while on duty, please get in touch via cabincrew@forsa.ie.
See also:
Marked increase in disruptive behaviour at Dublin Airport Thursday 29th MAY, RTÉ News At One: Katie Morgan, Forsa's Head of Services, discusses the increase in incidents of disruptive behaviour reported to Dublin Airport Garda station this year. Listen back here.
This June we have several Pride events of interest to members.
June is Pride month, a time to celebrate and call for continued progress for LGBTQIA+ rights. Though our union has a proud history of campaigning for equality, we are firmly focused on the future. In the past year, we launched our LGBTQIA+ network, produced a print run of Kieran Rose’s publication Trade Unions and Progress for LGBT People, and most recently we had a stand at every Fórsa divisional conference. This June we have several events of interest to members, detailed below.
Trade Unions & Marriage Equality: A Labour of Love
To mark the 10th anniversary of the passing of the Marriage Equality referendum in 2015 — and the role of the trade union movement in that campaign — an event featuring a panel discussion will take place in Connolly Hall and Cois Life Bar, Liberty Hall, on 17th June 2025, from 18:30 to 20:00.
Karl Hayden (Financial Services Union) will chair the discussion, which will feature a number of trade union and LGBTQ+ activists reflecting on the movement’s pivotal role in the referendum.
Panellists:
Seamus Dooley – National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
Ethel Buckley – SIPTU
Kieran Rose – LGPSU (precursor to Fórsa) Trade Unionist and LGBTQ+ Activist
Rachel Mathews McKay – SIPTU LGBT
Refreshments will be served, and attendance is free of charge. Early booking is advised: registration linked here.
Join us at Pride
Fórsa’s LGBTQIA+ network is inviting members to march with their union at Pride marches across Ireland this summer. Kicking off in Dublin on Saturday 28th June, we’ll also be at Trans and Intersex Pride in Dublin on Saturday 12th July, followed by Cork Pride on Sunday 3rd August, and finally Galway Pride on Saturday 16th August.
Member of the LGBTQIA+ network steering committee Danni Hickey said “While we know many members will be used to marching at Pride with friends, voluntary groups, or their employers, we want all members to know they’re welcome to stand with their union. Last year was the first time we marched at Pride with our own union banner, and we’re excited to do so again this year, right around Ireland.”
If you would like to join your union at any of the Pride marches listed above, please complete this form so that we can communicate further details with you.
Lunch & Learn with LGBT Ireland
Our Skills Academy runs a monthly Lunch & Learn for members. On Friday 27th June, the session will be focused on how to support our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. This talk will cover the history of pride and will give valuable insights into the current experiences of LGBTQIA+ people.
Participants will gain a clear understanding of LGBTQIA+ terminology and receive practical tools to help make their own workplace more inclusive, one small impactful step at a time. To top it all off, the session will conclude with a 15-minute judgement-free Q&A. This is an event you won’t want to miss this Pride month!
The training will be provided by Lenn Viken (they/them) who works as a trainer with LGBT Ireland and has been engaged in queer activism, education and politics across Norway, France and Ireland for close to a decade.
With substantial experience in community-based LGBTQIA+ education, municipal politics and public speaking, Lenn is motivated by their passion for fighting structural issues through inclusive and non-judgemental knowledge diffusion and discussion. Holding a bachelor's degree in Gender and Equality from Sciences Po Paris and currently pursuing a master's degree at Trinity College Dublin, Lenn is excited to spend the rest of their career working to promote minority rights and inclusion in Ireland and abroad.
Following a nationwide moment of reflection by workers this week, we have launched a petition calling for the inclusion of services in the Occupied Territories Bill (OTB).
Fórsa has launched a petition this week calling for the inclusion of services in the Occupied Territories Bill. You can sign the petition here.
Fórsa’s director of campaigns, Kevin Donoghue said “The government has legal advice saying services can’t be included in the bill, but Tánaiste Simon Harris said he had ‘no issue’ with a provision in the bill banning trade in services with Israeli firms based in Palestine. It is imperative that services are included in the bill, and now is the time to make sure we make our voices heard on the issue.”
The launch of the petition follows the #StandWithPalestine action which took place on Wednesday 4th June. At 1.05pm, workers showed their support for the people of Palestine by taking a moment to reflect and remember the children who have died in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The event, an initiative of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), brought together Fórsa members and fellow trade unionists from across the movement.
Members took photos in their workplaces and posted them to social media using the hashtag #StandWithPalestine.
Speaking about the event Kevin said “We saw participation from all divisions of the union, with all kinds of workplaces, and even members working from home taking part. Churches around the country also rang their bells in a moving and solemn show of solidarity.”
The event was organised to coincide with the International United Nations Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression in remembrance of the more than 15,000 children confirmed to have died and over 34,000 injured in the twenty-one months since Israel began its brutal assault on Gaza.
More trainings ahead and a big surprise for this year's course participants.
June signals the end of the academic year, but Fórsa’s Skills Academy won’t be slowing down. The monthly Fórsa Induction and Lunch & Learn sessions will continue over the summer break. The team will also be busy organising next year’s courses; a full schedule is available here.
Applications for September courses will open beginning in the last week in June and will be advertised here, in the members’ bulletin, as well as sent directly to branches. The Skills Academy is aware of a number of employments that require up to eight weeks’ notice to secure release, which is why applications open with plenty of time to request release.
Coming up this June, the Skills Academy has a LGBTQIA+ themed Lunch & Lunch, and the exciting first ever Skills Academy Certificate Award Ceremony.
Skills Academy Certificate Award Ceremony – 2.30pm 24th June - Nerney’s Court
The first ever Skills Academy Certificate Award Ceremony will take place on Tuesday 24th June at 2.30pm, in Nerney’s Court, following the Consultative Council. This first ceremony will be for students of the Level 1 Workplace Representatives’ Training, Level 2 Workplace Representatives’ Training, Mentoring programme, and Leadership programme from the classes of 2024-2025.
It is hoped that this will become a twice-yearly event with the remainder of the certificates presented following the Consultative Council in November.
Branch officers are encouraged to support their branch colleagues and join with other students, branch reps, national officers, and Fórsa staff to celebrate their achievement and partake of some light refreshments.
If you would like to attend, please let the Skills Academy know by sending an email entitled “ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATE AWARD CEREMONY” to Judith at skillsacademy@forsa.ie
To celebrate Pride month and our LGBTQIA+ members, the June session of Lunch & Lunch will be Supporting our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. Skills Academy will be joined by guest speaker Lenn Viken (they/them), a trainer with LGBT Ireland who has engaged in queer activism, education and politics across Norway, France and Ireland for almost a decade.
In this session, you will learn about the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people in Ireland at present, the importance of promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and tools to make your own workplace more inclusive. There will also be a short history of the queer rights movement in Ireland.
Lenn believes in creating an inclusive and non-judgemental environment for knowledge diffusion and discussion, so members who don’t have a clear understanding of LGBTQIA+ issues are encouraged to take part.
Watch back - Lunch & Learn 30th May - Fórsa mentoring programme
Last month’s Lunch & Learn is now available on the Skills Academy YouTube. For those who missed it, this session took a look back on the first year of Fórsa’s mentoring programme. The Skills Academy were joined by programme participants and tutors to discuss what went right, what could be improved, how participants benefitted, and what plans lie ahead for year two.
If you are interested in knowing more about the benefits of mentoring and how you and your branch can participate in this year’s programme, the video is linked here.
The Services and Enterprises divisional conference took place last week in Galway, running from Monday 26th to Wednesday 28th May.
The Services and Enterprises divisional conference took place last week in Galway, running from Monday 26th to Wednesday 28th May.
Delegates from across the division gathered to debate motions and determine the division’s direction for the next two years. Leonard Sheils (An Post) was re-elected as Chair of the division, Daniel Langan (IALPA) was elected as Vice Chair and Jake Allen (Cabin Crew) was elected as the third divisional representative to the national executive committee (NEC).
As well as debating motions, delegates heard addresses from Fórsa President Martin Walsh, Owen Reidy, ICTU general secretary, Kevin Callinan, Fórsa general secretary, Dr. Tom McDonnell of the Nevin Economic Research Institute, Liam Berney of ICTU.
An engaging presentation by IALPA brought delegates behind the scenes in last year’s IALPA Aer Lingus pilots dispute which demonstrated what a high-density group in the union can achieve when it is organised. This tied in perfectly with the presentation Organising for Power given by Hazel Nolan, assistant general secretary, which many delegates described as a highlight of conference.
An interesting panel discussion on pensions brought together an overview of the diversity of pension entitlements across the public and private sectors, and how activists should inform themselves of the pension provisions that apply to members in their employment. Panellists included Matt Staunton, Fórsa Deputy General Secretary, Brendan De La Harpe of Cornmarket, Mary Lundy, former divisional chair, and Billy Hannigan, former Fórsa National Secretary.
A fringe meeting was organised by the director of campaigns, Kevin Donoghue, on effective political lobbying. This provided attendees with expert advice on engaging local politicians on the issues that matter to members.
In what is always a meaningful moment at conference, Distinguished Service Awards were presented to members who have gone above and beyond. They were Willie Doyle and Liam Walsh from the Cultural Institutions branch, Hugh Shiels from State Enterprises No.1, Jillian Mc Andrew from RSA Executive, Niall Mullally from Cabin Crew, John Sullivan from Aviation Safety and Tony Dawson from Fáilte Ireland.
Gillian White from Cabin Crew and Pierce Dillon from An Bord Pleanála were also recognised for their distinguished service, but will receive their awards separately.
At the conclusion of conference divisional chair Leonard Sheils thanked delegates for attending conference, and for taking part in setting the division’s direction and strategy for the next two years. He said: “Your active participation at conference has underlined that our division is as determined as it is diverse. It’s really impactful to see long standing members and members who are just beginning to become more active come together and share their experiences, learn from each other and make plans for the future – that’s what union conferences are all about.”
Katie Morgan, head of Fórsa’s Services and Enterprises Division, has criticised the Land Development Agency’s refusal to recognise the union for the purposes of collective bargaining.
Addressing delegates at the opening of last week’s divisional conference in Galway, Katie said that the division has a history of taking on employers that are hostile to the idea of collective representation and pay bargaining, having successfully negotiated recognition agreements with Ryanair and Emerald Airlines.
In her speech, Katie said: “This year we have taken on a relatively new employer with outdated ideas about trade union representation, the Land Development Agency.
“This is a commercial state body in receipt of substantial public funds. Despite this the LDA refuses to recognise Fórsa. The employer refuses to allow us on the premises and employs around 200 people, all on individually negotiated contracts.
“It is shameful that Fórsa members employed by the LDA are currently forced to meet with union representatives off-site, because the employer refuses us entry. That is not the behaviour of a modern, ethical, or law-abiding public agency,” she said.
Katie added that Fórsa’s recent submissions - on collective bargaining and public procurement – highlights the union’s view that any organisation drawing down state funds must uphold the rights of workers.
She said no employer should have a veto on union recognition: “We’ve seen some employers integrate their hostility to union representation into their brand, only to arrive at a point - sometimes precipitated by a crisis - where they realise it makes sense to negotiate with unions in good faith. Our recent history includes breakthroughs with Emerald Airlines and, of course, Ryanair.
Never say never
“The LDA may think that locking union officials out of buildings and ignoring calls for an industrial relations agreement is the only way to do business. But even Ryanair has said – most recently at the Industrial Relations News conference in March – that the airline knew it was not a matter of if they would ever recognise the union, but when. Seven and a half years after recognition at Ryanair, we’re negotiating pay and terms of employment with an employer who used to say - very loudly – that it would never happen,” she said.
Katie said the LDA’s hostility to Fórsa strongly suggests management hadn’t yet figured out what Ryanair and Emerald figured out eventually: “It’s simply better to work with us.
“LDA staff should not be denied their right to organise. In a situation where an employer is in receipt of substantial public funds, the denial of that right is especially problematic. The Government is to finalise its action plan on the promotion of collective bargaining by the end of this year. As these initiatives develop, the LDA’s position looks increasingly out of step,” she said.
Responding to media queries, prompted by Katie’s comments, the LDA said it had “a respectful meeting with senior Fórsa representatives, where it outlined that the LDA fully respects the legal right of any employee to join a union,” but appeared to dismiss any future engagement on the pretext that there are “no industrial relations issues at the LDA, nor have any staff indicated any such issues.”
This week the issue made it as far as Brussels, when MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, raised the issue at a hearing of the European Parliament’s Housing Committee, at which the CEO of the LDA was speaking.
Katie extended a message to those working at the Land Development Agency: “You are not alone. This union stands fully behind you, and we won’t be deterred. We’ll continue to organise - and press your employer - until your workplace rights are fully recognised.”
Our survey for staff working in the LDA is open now. LDA staff can complete the survey whether you’re a union member, or if you haven’t yet joined the union, so we encourage you to share it with your LDA colleagues.
Fórsa has renewed its call for urgent and sustained investment in the driving test service, warning that chronic understaffing and poor workforce planning are fuelling long delays and undermining public confidence in the system.
Fórsa has renewed its call for urgent and sustained investment in the driving test service, warning that chronic understaffing and poor workforce planning are fuelling long delays and undermining public confidence in the system.
The union said the current crisis is rooted in the Road Safety Authority’s sustained reliance on a ‘deficit model’ of employment, with the service running on insufficient human resources until a crisis prompts a public outcry.
Delegates at the Services and Enterprises Divisional Conference, which took place in Galway last week, unanimously backed a motion instructing the union to press for immediate action from both Road Safety Authority (RSA) management and the Department of Transport.
Driving tester and Fórsa member Robbie Christopher, speaking in support of the motion, said: “The service has been operating on a staffing deficit for far too long. It’s predictable and preventable. The result is public frustration, unnecessary delays, and growing pressure on frontline staff. We need a long-term staffing strategy, not another round of temporary measures.”
The scale of the problem is stark. Latest figures show more than 100,000 people are currently waiting to sit a driving test, with average waiting times stretching to 27 weeks, which is nearly three times the RSA’s own ten-week target.
Fórsa official Ruairí Creaney said the current crisis is the result of structural under-investment and a history of insecure employment practices at the RSA:
“We’ve made progress. Fórsa has now secured permanent jobs for all driver testers, ending the cycle of temporary contracts. But we cannot afford to go backwards.”
He said the union is pushing for an end to short-termism in the service’s management:
“A deficit model cannot deliver for the public—or for staff. It creates a cycle of crisis, where demand keeps outpacing capacity. The Department of Transport and RSA must now take responsibility and commit to a clear, properly resourced staffing plan.”
Delegates agreed that sustainable, long-term planning—rooted in secure employment and sufficient staffing levels—is the only way to meet demand and maintain public trust in the service.
Workers’ rights and access to collective bargaining should be at the centre of Ireland’s public procurement policy.
Fórsa has contributed a submission to the government’s public consultation on the first National Public Procurement Strategy for Ireland.
The union’s submission focuses on ensuring all public procurement is socially responsible, through the inclusion of mandatory selection and award criteria that would ensure workers can access collective bargaining through their trade unions.
Fórsa argued that public procurement rules must ensure that employers bidding for, or in receipt of public funds, recognise trade unions for collective bargaining purposes, engage in good faith when such engagement is initiated and have a union-negotiated collective agreement in place to receive public funds.
Government and state bodies have strong purchasing power which should be leveraged to improve living standards for workers.
Furthermore, the submission highlights the government’s ambition to increase collective bargaining coverage across the Irish labour market, in line with the objectives of the EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages.
Fórsa’s research and policy officer Aisling Cusack explained that introducing regulations that require a union-negotiated collective agreement as a prerequisite for eligibility for public procurement would help advance that ambition.
She said: “Workers’ rights and access to collective bargaining should be at the centre of Ireland’s public procurement policy. The development of a new national strategy presents a timely opportunity for the state to get behind workers and promote fair pay and decent working conditions for all workers.”
“The government must move away from an approach to public procurement that focuses solely on cost. This approach, to what is effectively an outsourcing of public work, only fuels a race to the bottom, rewarding companies with the lowest bids, often at the expense of workers’ rights and union recognition.”
Aisling concluded: “There is an onus on the government to ensure that companies awarded state contracts act in the public interest, by ensuring that they respect workers’ rights, recognise trade unions for collective bargaining, and have a union-negotiated agreement in place.”
Members working in Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) have approved a pay deal.
Members working in Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) have approved a pay deal.
93.2 % voted in favour of acceptance, in a ballot with a turnout of over 97%.
The pay deal will run for two years, from April 2025 to March 2027. Members will benefit from an average of 7% pay increases over the two-year period. The deal will be backdated to commence on 1st April as the previous deal expired on 31st March 2025.
Fórsa official Deirdre O’Connell said: “This is a really welcome development for members in PLI. I would like to congratulate the branch for their engagement during the negotiation process and urge all members to get involved in the branch.”
Union-led housing campaign returns with demos on 17th June in Dublin and 21st June in Cork.
Fórsa is calling on members to join the ‘Raise the Roof’ protests in Dublin and Cork this month to demand urgent government action on the deepening housing crisis.
The demonstration in Dublin will take place at 6pm Tuesday 17th June, outside the Kildare Street gate of Leinster House, while the demonstration in Cork city will take place on Saturday 21st June, beginning at 2pm at the National Monument on Grand Parade.
Fórsa will participate in both demos as a member of ‘Raise the Roof’ and is actively involved in organising the event.
The ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign consists of a broad coalition of trade unions, civil society groups, and political parties who are demanding the government stop acting as a bystander and take concerted and effective action to address the deepening housing crisis.
The government has repeatedly failed to meet its own construction targets, with the Housing Commission now estimating a shortfall of 250,000 homes and predicting the government will continue to miss construction targets by tens of thousands.
The failure to meet construction targets is leading to spiralling costs of rent and property prices. Rents now average at €2,000 across the country, and property prices have risen to almost 20% more than at the height of the Celtic Tiger.
Fórsa head of campaigns Kevin Donoghue said, “Members have repeatedly identified housing as a key concern for them. The recent local government conference saw half a dozen housing motions being brought to the floor. Lack of affordable housing is having a serious impact on people’s lives and careers.”
He continued, “Not being able to find somewhere to live can be a barrier to taking on a new job or accepting a promotion in a different location.
“Our members keep the State working. We need the government to take this crisis seriously we need a radical shift in policy, one that is focused on the provision of affordable housing for all.” he concluded.
The ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign has set out a clear set of policy demands which include:
An expanded programme of public housing on public land, led by local authorities and housing bodies to deliver affordable housing.
Ensure that at least 20% of all housing is public housing, In line with Housing Commission report.
Move to a genuinely affordable not-for-profit cost rental model.
Full restoration and expansion of the tenant-in-situ scheme.
Urgent action to tackle the tens of thousands of vacant and derelict properties.
An immediate restoration of the ban on no fault evictions and a freeze on all rent increases.
And most of all, we need a clear commitment that workers will be able to live in the communities they serve.
