Fórsa has asked the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to help develop a ‘roadmap,’ with milestones for progress in future negotiations between Irish Water, the local government department and water unions.

The prospect of industrial action over local authority employers’ refusal to discuss a job evaluation scheme for clerical and admin staff in the sector has increased after their representative body refused to attend a Labour Court hearing on the issue.

Fórsa and other unions in Dublin City Council have developed a new waste management proposal off the back of a cross-party composite motion calling for the remunicipalisation of household waste services. The motion was passed last July.

Fórsa’s claim for the appointment of assistant civil defence officers in every local authority has been supported by the Local Government Management Agency, which represents local authority employers.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has teamed up with the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) to jointly demand that the Government commits to passing the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill before Christmas.