This general election Fórsa is calling on parties and candidates to support our vision of a society that works for workers.

Friday 29th November, polling day in the general election, is an opportunity for public sector workers to demand a society that delivers a decent quality of life for all workers, offers accessible, high quality public services, and which provides a secure future in the face of climate change and advancing technology with regards to AI.

All of these demands are outlined in our general election manifesto which presents policy proposals to strengthen public services and enhance the working lives of our members. You can read it on our election hub here. 

Earlier this year, more than 20,000 of you shared your priorities with us, highlighting the issues you want us to campaign on in the lead up to the election and during the lifetime of the next government.

These priorities are:

• Meaningful pay increases, that go beyond inflation, that reward workers for their commitment to public service.
• The protection of remote and hybrid working arrangements, and a commitment to piloting the four-day week in the public sector, without loss of pay.
• Investment in high quality public services, including community healthcare, publicly funded childcare, and availability of reliable public transport. 

These issues affect all of us, and if addressed, would not only improve the lives of our members, but also strengthen public services and deliver widespread benefits for workers, service-users, and society. 

Members can send a strong message to all political parties by taking part in our email campaign. It takes just ten seconds to tell them what you want. Click here. 

You can also print this poster and use the question on it when election candidates knock on your door, so that you'll know if they support our priorities. Download it here. 

Industrial relations structures, the prohibition of political activity and disciplinary procedures are among some of the issues affecting civil service workers. In the coming weeks and months, we will be engaging with parties and elected officials, on these issues as well as mechanisms to raise the floor on low pay for new entrants to the civil service, as well as improving overall pay through the shortening of pay scales by removing the number of increments. 

We are also seeking commitment to:

• Amend the industrial relations acts to give civil service workers access to the WRC and Labour Court.
• Legislate to modernise the outdated practice of excluding the majority of civil servants from engaging in political activity.
• Engage with unions on issues of serious concern in relation to the Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2018.