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 5^th 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.” 

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