Delegates at Fórsa’s Education conference in Portlaoise backed a motion calling on the union to engage with Government and education ministers to provide immediate support to school students with special education needs, in their preparation for life beyond secondary school.

The union policy, backed unanimously by the 160 delegates attending the conference, seeks to ensure students can progress and reach their full potential by accessing third level education, apprenticeships, other vocational training or into the workplace.

Fórsa also launched its position paper for a National Progression Framework for students with additional care needs at the conference.

Proposing the motion, special needs assistant Carol McSherry said the union welcomes and endorses the National Access Plan, a strategic action plan for equity of access, recently published by the Higher Education Authority.

Carol added: “The National Access Plan is designed to target and support students who are socio-economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities and students from the Irish Traveller community.

“Today we call for the recommendations contained in the National Access Plan to be actioned immediately, including the development of policies and implementation plans to promote meaningful participation of students with intellectual disabilities.

“We commend the valuable work of our SNAs with children and young adults in schools and the vitally important role they play in assisting the students they work with to complete their education.

“We’re disappointed at the lack of support that exists for these students for the next stage of their life journey, so it is vital that the action points in the National Access Plan are fully implemented,” she said.

Carol highlighted figures that illustrate increases in demand for educational supports, and projections that indicate this trend is likely to continue: “At post-primary level, it is estimated that 17.9% of 13-year-olds have some form of special education need.

“AHEAD’s 2021 analysis of 2019/2020 data shows there’s been consistent year-on-year growth in the numbers of students with disabilities registering with support services in higher education, an increase of over 220% in the last 11 years.

“These figures show that we need to plan properly, and respond appropriately, to ensure those students to whom we provide support can have a quality experience beyond second level school. That they can aspire to achieving their potential, and exercising their own choices as they prepare to complete their secondary education,” she said.

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

In his response to an address by the Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD, at the Fórsa Education conference last week, national secretary Andy Pike criticised the “false starts and confusion” during the five years that have elapsed since the NCSE published its review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme.

He called on the minister to continue her work with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to bring clarity on the direction of the special education sector.

He added: “In 2018 the NCSE review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme was published. It set out a new course for the provision of supports for students with additional care needs, a framework for education and training for SNAs, called for greater clarity on terms and conditions, proposed a new three-year ‘frontloading’ allocation cycle and proposed a new Schools Inclusion Model.

“Some clarity is needed on the direction of Government policy. We understand why frontloading cannot be implemented as it stands, and we know that the department has no wish to see significant turmoil or job losses for SNAs. However, the school sector does need to know what the future holds,” he said.

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

Fórsa general secretary and president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Kevin Callinan, has said that the cost of living must continue to be the main focus for public service unions in pay talks this year.

Kevin chairs the ICTU’s Public Services Committee (PSC). He made the comments last week in his address to the INTO teachers’ conference in Killarney.

The current public service pay agreement, Building Momentum, expires at the end of 2023. Talks on a successor agreement are expected to take place in the coming months.

Kevin told INTO delegates that unions will concentrate on a number of key cost-of-living issues during expected pay talks, including the need to “make good the shortfall in pay against inflation” during the remaining term of the current pay agreement.

He said this would be in addition to factoring in the effect of the cessation of Government cost-of-living measures and supports, and in anticipation of cost-of-living projections over the period of any proposed agreement.

He said unions were clear that last year’s Building Momentum review didn't fully compensate for the rate of inflation, which averaged 8% over 2022.

He added: “When workers were weighing up the terms, they were mindful of government statements of intent to introduce various measures, including budgetary tax changes.

“We’ve already made it clear to government and employers, if these supports are withdrawn and if prices remain elevated - as they surely will - the shortfall will have to be made good in wage bargaining across the economy.”

Greedflation

Kevin said the relatively recent advent of inflation has led the European Central Bank (ECB) to identify excessive company profits as a bigger driver of inflation than wage demand.

He added: “Many commentators are quick to try to dampen down wage demands with talk of a wage-price spiral. Working people can see through those arguments, particularly when they are exposed to obvious price-gouging.

“To be clear, there can be no sustainable case for wage moderation while inflation continues to be driven by excessive company profits, neither in the public or private sector,” he said.

Public service employment

Kevin said recent growth in public sector employment is “merely a recovery of ground lost as a direct result of the 2008 financial crash”, adding that public service capacity shrank during the austerity years, while a growing population continued to place a demand on services.

He added: “The growth of public service employment is not keeping the required pace. It has increased by barely more than half the rate of population growth in the Republic,” and said even moderate predictions of population growth anticipates an increase to 5.4 million people by 2036.

Kevin said that, at roughly 7%, Ireland's public service employment, as a percentage of total population, looks “completely out of step with most of our EU partners.”

He said an appropriate comparison in this context was with Denmark, where public service employment is closer to 13%, while in Croatia the figure is 8.5%.

He said poorly resourced public services and inadequate infrastructure is holding back the potential of the Irish economy, in addition to “causing real hardship for many who can't access housing, essential healthcare or affordable childcare.”

Commenting on the recent upsurge in anti-immigrant commentary, he said: “Effective social dialogue can counter that kind of populism. It can help to replace short-term thinking with long-term planning, designed to meet the multiple challenges of our times and allowing the country to move forward more united, provided that the social dialogue is based on adequate levels of social protection, collective bargaining as the norm, and quality public services,” he said.

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

Delegates at Fórsa’s Education conference in Portlaoise backed a conference motion calling for an increase in funding to combat the continuing rise in young people presenting with mental health challenges.

The motion was proposed by Fórsa’s School Completion branch. The School Completion Programme (SCP) provides support to young people at risk of early school leaving, or educational disadvantage, in mainly DEIS primary and post-primary schools.

Speaking in Portlaoise the SCP branch chair, James Kavanagh, said the mental health supports in place across schools are insufficient to cope with current and rising demand: “On a day-to-day basis we can see a huge increase in students availing of the supports available to them through the SCP.

“Our capacity to facilitate mental health supports is already strained. There been many younger students presenting with mental health challenges. It’s a growing problem, and we need to be able to provide more support,” he said.

The union will now call for an increase in funding to combat the continuing rise in the number of young people presenting with mental health challenges.

Jen Cummins, an SCP member working in Ballymun, said the current budget for mental health supports is not enough: “Unfortunately, there is a cap on our budget to be able to support our students with things like art and play therapy. The current budget is just not enough — it’s like a drop in the ocean.

“We need to ensure that all young people are getting a fair and equitable allocation of supports.”

She said that there has been an increase in the number of students referred to the school completion programme: “What we’re finding though, is not only is there an increase, but there is also an increase in the complexity in the level of need that has been presented.

“For example, in the past, it might have just been one issue why they’ve been referred. Years and years ago when I first started this job, sometimes the programme was for children whose mom and dad didn’t finish school.

“We still have children in our project who are the first in their family to do the Junior Cert or the Leaving Cert, and I know it’s 2023 so people find that really hard to believe, but genuinely this is the case.

"But we also have young people who have very complex needs, and that means that they’ve experienced adverse childhood experiences.”

SCP worker Cáit Ní Mhurcú highlighted a growing and observable increase in school-refusal behaviour at junior cycle level in secondary schools. She told delegates id the response to these necessitated additional resources for therapeutic interventions.

She said school refusal over the years has been on the increase but school refusal now is very challenging: “When we have young people who school refuse, they need psychological support.”

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

Fórsa is campaigning to secure a major new pay agreement for caretakers and has called on the help of school secretaries.

Over the last few years, Fórsa has campaigned for improved terms and conditions for school secretaries across the country. After winning a new pay deal for school secretaries, we are now trying to secure the same deal for caretakers.

Membership density is crucial to securing the best possible deal for workers in any agreement.

With that in mind, and with the agreement of the School Secretaries branch, recruitment packs have been posted to all school secretaries where we have not identified a caretaker in membership.

This pack includes information for the caretaker in the school and describes the key benefits of joining the union, as well as outlining the new pay deal we are seeking on their behalf. Everything a caretaker needs to join the union is included in this pack.

Caretakers, as well as school secretaries deserve the proper support and we are grateful to the school secretaries for their help in this recruitment and organising initiative.

If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to get in touch at caretakers@forsa.ie.

The third Lunch and Learn will take place on Friday, 28th April, from 1-2pm focusing on Menstrual and Menopausal Health at work.

This will be delivered by Paula Byrne, from Apple blossom holistic.

Paula is a holistic wellness educator who is dedicated to helping others to enhance their wellbeing. She is the creator of The Mindful Cycle, a holistic and mindful approach to menstrual literacy and wellness.

The Mindful Cycle inspires a world where conversations about periods and the menstrual cycle are normal, the menstrual cycle is understood by all and people with periods can mindfully embody their unique inner rhythm.

It is changing lives through the development of holistic habits and sustainable skills for life.

You can sign up to attend the one-hour session HERE.

If you have any questions about any aspect of the application process, please contact Judith directly on 021 4255221 or email here.

Fórsa’s largest membership survey is currently underway, and we’re encouraging you to have your say.

Ahead of negotiations in 2023, we want to know more about the issues that matter most to you and your co-workers.

Fórsa is anticipating pay talks with Government in the coming months and while these will relate largely to civil and public servants, there will also be pay bargaining in other sectors where we represent members.

We also anticipate that a general election will be held within the next two years and we’re taking this opportunity to seek your views so we can influence the policies of political parties on the issues that matter most to Fórsa members.

Fórsa is not affiliated to any political party and does not support any party or candidates in elections. Your opinions will guide us in this important work.

The confidential survey is being conducted by Amárach Research on behalf of Fórsa and is entirely voluntary.

Aggregated responses will be used in our work to negotiate on your behalf, and influence Government policy.

You can access the survey here, but please note that only Fórsa members are invited to respond.

Please encourage your co-workers to join today.

Fórsa members across the country took part in a union led coffee morning yesterday, to celebrate the work of administrative professionals and recognise their enormous contribution to the workplace.

In a message to members Fórsa General Secretary Kevin Callinan acknowledged the significant impact administration professionals make to the lives of others.

“In Fórsa, we recognise that administrative staff are the backbone of their organisations. In many cases administrative staff are the first point of contact where they work and play a hugely important role in the success of their teams and organisations,” he said.

Branches across all Fórsa divisions took part and hosted the nationwide event.

The One Wexford Trade Union Centre opened its doors earlier this month, bringing Fórsa, Siptu and Connect together under the one roof.

The Congress-backed program is supported by the Wexford Council of Trade Unions and sets out to strengthen trade union awareness, build links between unions and communities, and enhance unions' local engagement in the Wexford area.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan helped to launch the centre, formed on the pillars of one movement, one approach, one vision.

Fórsa activist and secretary to the Wexford Council of Trade Unions Kate Miskella said that ONE Wexford was built on the successful model established by the ONE Cork and ONE Galway initiatives.

“This is about working collectively in our workplaces and communities to improve living and working conditions and achieve significant gains for all workers through greater trade union participation,” she said.

Applications are now open for the 2023 Fórsa Gaeltacht grant scheme, which will make 80 grants of €150 each available to assist children of Fórsa members attending residential Irish language courses in Gaeltacht areas this 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 2022, are eligible to apply for the grant scheme. You can download the application form HERE.

Please download the form to a folder on your device prior to filling it out.

If you cannot use the fillable form online please print the form, complete it in black pen and return it to:

General Services Committee,

Gaeltacht Scheme,

Fórsa, Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1,

D01 R2C5.

It should arrive before 5.30 PM on Thursday 1^st June 2023.

All queries and applications should be sent to this email address.

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

Fórsa members can now save 50% on their AA Roadside Rescue plan, through a new and exclusive union negotiated scheme.

This new AA Roadside Rescue offer provides for 24/7 roadside breakdown assistance in Ireland and the UK for just €6 a month, and will provide cover whether driving or as a passenger.

This new offer can be accessed exclusively through this portal.

Contact the AA here for more information.