Fórsa has referred a dispute to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) over the continued use of agency staff filling clerical admin posts across the Education and Training Boards (ETB) sector.
Fórsa has referred a dispute to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) over the continued use of agency staff filling clerical admin posts across the Education and Training Boards (ETB) sector.
Education and Training Boards manage and operate community national schools, post-primary schools, further education (FE) colleges, and a variety of adult and further education centres to deliver education and training programs.
Employers are using agency staff rather than seeking sanction from government departments to fill posts on a permanent basis. The union estimates that there are between 100 and 200 agency staff employed in ETBs in a variety of grades. A claim seeking the cessation of this policy was lodged at the ETB National Industrial Relations Forum, the employer’s side formally responded to the claim on 5th March last and refused to end the practice.
In response Fórsa has referred the dispute to the WRC citing the employers as being in breach of national agreements as the required consultation on outsourcing jobs did not take place.
Fórsa Head of Education Andy Pike said: “We can no longer sit back and allow ETBs to exploit vulnerable agency workers in this way. The use of agency labour allows the ETBs to distort career pathways. It is very difficult for agency workers to refuse to undertake the work of higher grades.”
Andy added “If this practice continues it will further undermine career development opportunities for our members. ETBs are paying significant sums of money to employment agencies when such expenditure would be better spent employing the same staff on public service terms and conditions.”
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
Fórsa members gathered last week to discuss the union’s commitment to global solidarity and international activism at the organisation's International Spring School.
Fórsa members gathered last week to discuss the union’s commitment to global solidarity and international activism at the organisation's International Spring School. Delegates reflected on the importance of standing in solidarity with workers globally, from supporting trade union colleagues in Colombia, Turkey and the UK, to contributing to humanitarian efforts in Gaza, Ukraine, Eritrea and beyond.
The Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid was warmly welcomed to Nerney’s Court, as almost 100 activists from across the country gave her a standing ovation. The Ambassador spoke of the ongoing war on Palestine and continued bombardment of Gaza, with the death toll now at almost 30,000. She addressed the horrors and atrocities occurring and expressed her desire to frame the struggle of the Palestinian people in political terms, rather than as a humanitarian crisis.
“For 146 days Israel has crossed every legal and moral line. Nothing justifies killing 13,000 children,” she said. “The Palestinian people were born to live, not born to die,” she continued.
Delegates also learned about the impact of the union’s international solidarity fund. Three percent of members' dues contribute to solidarity programs worldwide. Activists were informed about how the union's recent €100,000 donation to UNICEF's Gaza appeal aided in providing essential assistance.
“With your support, UNICEF has been able to transport significant humanitarian assistance to Egypt for onward delivery through the Rafah border crossing. Our efforts, including eleven airlifts, have been among the first deliveries to pass through Rafah, reaching those in need with unprecedented speed,” said Vivienne Parry, Advocacy Manager at UNICEF.
Vivienne also explained how the funds have helped provide essential tools to assist women in delivering babies in dire circumstances, particularly in areas where there is no functioning healthcare system.
“Health facilities are overwhelmed, operating at three times their capacity, facing shortages of basic supplies and fuel. UNICEF is delivering medical supplies to hospitals and health facilities, including supplies for newborns and kits for midwives,” she said.
Delegates also heard from Ciara Feehely from Vita Ireland and Luis Monje from Public Services International, who delved into projects and initiatives partially funded by Fórsa through its developing world fund. Additionally, European experts including Dr. Brigid Laffan, Alex White, and EPSU General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan took centre stage to discuss Europe, its challenges, and the opportunities ahead of elections later this year.
Fórsa’s Liz Fay initiated the proceedings on Saturday morning, taking the audience on a journey by describing the experiences of library members as they continued to provide essential services during far-right attacks. Following her, Niamh McDonald from the Hope and Courage Collective, Ciarán O’Connor from The Institute of Strategic Dialogue, and Nick Henderson of the Irish Refugee Council discussed the rise of the far right in Ireland and offered practical advice on how to engage in important conversations and combat misinformation.
Closing out the two-day solidarity school delegates explored the fight for trade union freedom. ICTU’s David Joyce looked at the International Labour Organisation’s labour rights index, while Hatice Pantir Yilan from Liman-İş Union in Turkey spoke of the persecution of Turkish trade unionists under the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The final speaker GMB’s Ferdousara Uddin provided insights on the union organises Amazon workers in the UK.
Delegate and activist Linda O’Sullivan said she had “an incredible two days”.
“As an activist, it was my church! I was blown away by the speakers and the engagement from members. I'm incredibly proud and privileged to be part of our great union especially last weekend,” she said.
Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers, said that solidarity, both at home and internationally, is a cornerstone and fundamental to the union.
“In the union strategic plan, one of the core values is that the union will continue to stand in solidarity with workers across the world who are in struggle, and I think for us, our trade unionism doesn't stop within our shores. It's very much an international approach. We have always fought for better workers’ rights, pay and conditions, human rights, and equality. And I think those kinds of things, they don't they don't have a border. Events like this one helps to cement that connection and allows us to take stock of the good solidarity work we do every day,” he said.
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
Over 70% of Fórsa’s members are women – and it’s the work that you do every day in your workplace, in your home, in your community and in your union that we are celebrating today.
Cupcakes and flowers may have become a popular way to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) in recent years, but did you know that IWD was first officially marked in 1911? On that day millions of women and men demonstrated for women's rights, including the right to work, vote, receive education, hold public office, and end discrimination – all demands which remain central to our movement today.
Over 70% of Fórsa’s members are women – and it’s the work that you do every day in your workplace, in your home, in your community and in your union that we are celebrating today.
Gender equality isn’t just an empty phrase for Fórsa. In the past year, our activists and officials have pursued campaigns and cases that have achieved real wins for working women in Ireland.
In recent years Fórsa also played a central role in pushing for gender pay gap reporting legislation, which finally came into effect in 2022. The gender pay gap of approximately 12% remains something women in Ireland are all too familiar with, and the reporting legislation must now be extended to cover smaller organisations and companies. The union movement must continue to campaign to end the gender pay gap.
Too often equal pay for equal work is a hollow principle that fails to account for the impact major life events such as pregnancy, caring responsibilities, and significant illness, can have on a woman’s pay and pension.
In addition, women are more likely to be in precarious, part-time and low paid work which puts them at greater risk of poverty. Here too, the union movement must keep the challenges faced by women workers to the fore.
Speaking at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Women’s Conference, taking place on 7th and 8th March, Margaret Coughlan, Fórsa activist and Chair of ICTU’s Women’s Committee said “A very happy International Women’s Day to all our members. I’m proud of the women in our union today and every day.”
“At this year’s ICTU Women’s Conference, we will debate motions on issues ranging from free access to health care to the EU Adequate Minimum Wage directive. There is simply no issue that the union deals with that doesn’t impact women. Thank you for the work you do for our union today, and every day.”
Ashley Connolly, Fórsa national secretary with responsibility for the union’s Equality Committee, said “Our union’s strength is our members. So many of the issues we have achieved wins on recently have come from our members. By bringing issues that face them to our attention, our members have made gender equality a priority for the union.”
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
Fórsa has written to members working as personal assistants in further education colleges informing them of an increase in hourly rates of pay.
Fórsa has written to members working as personal assistants in further education colleges informing them of an increase in hourly rates of pay. For some members this could amount to a 30% increase in earnings.
The union represents around 40 staff members who help students with extra needs to finish their education. These staff members are paid by the hour and are laid off during breaks between terms. The union is also seeking access to an incremental pay scale, paid sick leave, improved annual leave and to secure 52-week contracts of employment.
Fórsa Head of Education Andy Pike said that “whilst the increase in hourly rates of pay from €15 per hour to €21 per hour is welcome and much needed, there are many other issues than need to be addressed to ensure our members working as personal assistants are treated fairly. To ensure we continue to make progress the remaining issues have been referred to the WRC for conciliation.”
Over the coming months, Pike insists Fórsa will follow up on the pay increase by pressuring the Employers into further improvements for personal assistants in Further Education colleges.
“It is high time that the role of the personal assistants was properly recognised and rewarded,” he concluded.
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
We want the BIGGEST vote possible to show how strong our union is. People are voting in their thousands, yet there’s still some way to go and time is running out. Over 40,000 members have cast their vote, but we need everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel and push for a huge turn out!
The Ballot on the Public Sector Agreement is closing at noon, next Friday 15th March.
We want the BIGGEST vote possible to show how strong our union is. People are voting in their thousands, yet there’s still some way to go and time is running out. Over 40,000 members have cast their vote, but we need everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel and push for a huge turn out!
Whatever the outcome, pay increases or potential industrial action, it should be decided by the people who will be impacted the most – you and your colleagues.
So, if you haven’t voted, do it today! And ask your colleagues if they’ve voted yet. If they haven’t, then ask them why?
To help we’ve outlined some of the reasons below why your colleagues might not have voted yet, and given you quick and easy answers:
Haven’t received their Unique Voting Code: Check their emails, including the spam folder, for their code. If they’ve not received it, then email their divisional helpdesk: hwhelp@forsa.ie
Don’t think their vote counts: No one should assume this will pass or be rejected, even if it feels like everyone is on the same page in their workplace. They NEED to vote.
Not sure of the details of the Agreement: Here’s a Plain English Guide and a FAQ. Any more questions, then email their divisional helpdesk.
Not a member of a trade union: Then they need to join! It only takes a few minutes to join Fórsa. See this link for all the benefits.
The more people vote, the stronger our voice is. Visit our resource hub for all the information you need on the ballot.
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
Lunch and Learn is Fórsa’s monthly in-house online webinar series delivered by the Skills Academy team. With the union’s biennial conference hurtling down the tracks in May, the upcoming Lunch and Learn session on Friday 22nd March will take the shape of a conference guide, exploring topics like standing orders and elections. Fórsa National Secretary Linda Kelly will lead the session.
Standing orders are a set of guidelines and rules that dictate how a meeting is conducted. Linda will walk attendees through how standing orders work at conference and will explain the voting processes within Fórsa. This is session is not to be missed by new branch executive committee members and first-time conference delegates.
Moreover, for those who missed it, the Skills Academy team have made available a previous online Lunch and Learn session featuring communications consultant Pat Montague. Pat is renowned for his expertise in driving progressive change in Ireland and is a staunch ally of trade unions. His session focuses on the art and craft of public speaking for AGMs and conferences.
While these sessions are open to all members, we kindly request interested individuals to register in advance. This ensures that the link to join is received on time and facilitates a smooth experience for all participants.
Fórsa is taking part in the Better in a Trade Union campaign, an all-island campaign which aims to ensure that all working people are aware of the benefits of being in a trade union, and the strength you have as part of a collective.
The centrepiece of the campaign will be the first ever Union Week, running from Monday 29th April to Friday 3rd May.
Union Week will be a celebration of unions and union members, which provides a perfect opportunity to talk to your colleagues about all the reasons they should join Fórsa, in a relaxed and informal environment.
Fórsa is encouraging members to run events during Union Week. To that end we have produced a guide to help you organise an event. If you would like more information on Union Week and the campaign, you can attend an online briefing on Tuesday 12 March at 1pm. Register here.
We hope you can put your own spin on things. Don’t be afraid to put some of your own personality and creativity into your event – it’s YOUR union! For more information on the campaign visit the Better in a Trade Union website here.
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
In a bid to shape the future economic landscape of Ireland, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has announced a series of informative briefings on the 'New Economic Model.' These meetings will be held at various locations across the island.
The initiative stems from the endorsement of the Executive Council Motion 'New Economic Model' during the 2023 Biennial Delegate Conference (BDC). This motion seeks to initiate a thorough debate within the trade union movement to craft a comprehensive, long-term economic blueprint for both Northern and Southern economies.
The briefings aim to enlighten ICTU affiliates about the proposed high-road economic model. By broadening labour market opportunities and championing collective bargaining, ICTU envisions a progressive economic landscape across Ireland.
Attendees can expect discussions on crucial themes such as understanding state resource allocation, advocating for the right to collective bargaining, and fostering an inclusive, sustainable economy. Additionally, the briefings will address strategies for confronting future economic challenges head-on.
The inaugural briefing kicks off on Monday, March 11th, at 7pm in the Cork Fórsa office with further meetings being rolled out across April and May with dates lined up for Galway, Dublin, Navan, Sligo, Wexford, and Limerick. The series of briefings mark a significant step towards charting a more prosperous economic future for all citizens of Ireland.
For full details on venues and dates you can refer to the attached flyer or contact Deirdre Mannion in ICTU directly (email: deirdre.mannion@ictu.ie).
There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.
