Fórsa has welcomed the Department of Public Expenditure’s Menopause Policy framework which mandates all civil service organisations to implement a menopause policy by early 2024. 

Launched this week on World Menopause Day (18th October), the framework mandates every civil service organisation to have a menopause policy in place by early 2024. It offers a list of guidelines and supports for managers to choose from, and provides a blueprint for employers in all sectors. 

In response Fórsa has said it would like to see consistent minimum standards and mandatory supports across all civil service organisations, not varying versions of these policies.

Fórsa also successfully negotiated the inclusion of a checklist in the framework and called for it to be prominently displayed in all workplaces so employees are aware of the range of supports that are, and can be, made available to them if they are going through symptoms of menopause. 

The union said this will further help raise awareness and alleviate some of the stigma that exists for employees when discussing menopausal issues with their managers, or seeking out supports. 

In its submission to the draft policy, Fórsa said the evolving landscape of the workforce necessitated a corresponding evolution in workplace protections and policies. As our workforce changes, so must our workplace protections and policies.

Head of Fórsa’s civil service division, Éamonn Donnelly, who made the submission said: “While we acknowledge the progressive nature of this framework, we believe it can go further by providing safeguards that would grant employees access to the support structures delineated within the framework and guidance document.”

“The efficacy of the support measures laid out by the framework hinges on workers' ability to avail themselves of these measures without fear of reprisal or victimisation.

“We welcome the recommendation of adopting the framework, but it is also imperative that we retain consistent standards to be implemented across each organisation. This will ensure that organisations and managers do not cherry-pick easily implementable supports while overlooking some of the more substantial guidelines and changes that are recommended,” said Éamonn. 

In that respect, Fórsa believes a few key priority accommodations should be made compulsory for every organisation. 

In Fórsa’s 2022 survey on the subject of menstrual and menopausal welfare policies at work, we found that just 1% of employee respondents benefited from such a policy within their workplaces. 

This new policy should increase that number substantially and represents a significant step forward. Fórsa will continue to negotiate and campaign on this issue across all divisions to ensure all members can benefit from this type of policy. 

Earlier in 2023, Fórsa took a claim to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to seek to have the probation period for civil servants reduced from 12 months to 6 months. 

This was on foot of the transposition of the EU Directive on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions into Irish Law in December, which saw probationary periods fall to 6 months for private sector workers, without any similar reduction for civil service workers.

Fórsa has now sought an expansion of the claim to also cover reduced probationary periods for civil service workers who are in ‘acting up’ positions immediately prior to promotion.

“They are already doing the job,” explained Fórsa Assistant General Secretary Seán Carabini.

“There should be no need to re-probate them and put them through another full year. Time spent successfully performing at a higher grade should be discounted against their probationary period.”

In relation to the overall claim, he noted:

“Time spent on probation is the most precarious time in a person’s career. They have fewer employment rights. The EU Directive sought to address this, but unfortunately the manner in which it was transposed allows public sector jobs to still have a probationary period of 12 months. This needs to change.”

Further talks are expected in November on this matter.

Are you in your first year in the civil service? Fórsa is hosting a seminar entitled ‘How to Survive Your First Year in the Civil Service’ on November 17th for new members.

Full details and registration can be found here. Not a member yet but wish to attend? Sign up here.

Dismissing a worker should not be easy or simple. Your livelihood should not be subjected to unfair practices, unsound decisions, or misplaced blame.

The Government has introduced the Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2018 with the intention of simplifying the civil service disciplinary and dismissal procedures. There is a very real possibility that it will become easier for a manager to fire you and other civil service workers.

We are asking all civil service members to sign the linked petition to make it clear to the political system that this change will not be welcomed and is unnecessary.

Please follow link for petition HERE.

Fórsa joined a submission to the relevant Oireachtas joint committee stating that we were against this attempt to make it easier to dismiss civil service workers.

Now we want to send a clear message to Government that civil service workers are against the introduction of private sector dismissal practices into the civil service.

In particular, we believe that the authority to dismiss a civil servant should not be delegated below the level of Secretary General. It must be maintained at this level to ensure fairness and consistency of practice across the civil service.

The Joint Committee report, complete with submissions, can be found HERE.

Dear members,

Over the past two weeks, Budget Day has come and gone, there has been a horrific escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine, and a strike by workers in the community and voluntary sector was averted hours before it was due to start. 

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, just before community and voluntary sector workers were due to begin an indefinite strike action, unions secured an agreement at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), offering a clear path to resolving the long running pay dispute.The most important part of the agreement was the recognition by the government of the staffing crisis in the agencies concerned and their commitment to re-engage in relation to pay parity following the public service pay talks. You can read more about the agreement here. 

We are now at half time in this dispute. However, I want to acknowledge the huge effort by our members, branches and staff to prepare for the strike and to thank everyone involved. It was wonderful to see workers and providers standing together for service users.

Over the past week, it has been impossible not to be concerned by the escalating violence in the Middle East. Last week I issued a statement on behalf of Fórsa condemning in the strongest possible terms the appalling violence against civilians in Israel and Gaza, expressing condolences to all who are mourning the loss of loved ones and calling for the immediate safe release of those who have been taken hostage.

Since then, we have witnessed utter devastation in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis unfold before our eyes. Following my return from Palestine at the end of June, I met the Tánaiste along with representatives of a number of other Irish charities and NGOs. Last Friday we wrote to him again asking that the Irish government continue to do all it can to stand for international law and to act as a voice of reason and de-escalation. Along with other Congress unions we will be participating in demonstrations this weekend to reinforce this call and to support the ordinary Palestinian people.

Budget Day has come and gone, and, in many ways, it was a mixed bag. The further reduction in childcare costs will make a difference for parents of young children and the extension of free schoolbooks will remove a worry for many when next September approaches.

The increase in the National Minimum Wage to €12.70 per hour had been well flagged and represents a step on the road towards a real Living Wage. The focus on low paid workers is a welcome one and will need to be reflected in pay bargaining as we move forward.

Overall, the consensus is that the considerable budgetary adjustment was spread widely without making the kind of transformative impact that could have been possible. And some elements, such as the tax break for landlords, were simply regressive.

At the conclusion of his speech Minister Paschal Donohoe alluded to the upcoming public service pay talks expressing the hope that the various measures announced in the budget would be reflected in union demands.

He didn’t refer to the significant shortfall in wages against inflation over the 2021 to 2023 period or to the fact that in his budget speech last year he began by raising his department’s estimates for 2023 inflation from 3% to 7.1%.

It is likely to turn out to be nearer the higher figure. Importantly, he didn’t acknowledge that many of the budgetary measures are temporary in nature while the increase in the overall level of prices almost certainly is not.

It is clear that pay bargaining across the economy, including in the public sector, will have an important part to play in protecting living standards. This will remain to the fore of our minds as we continue to prepare for public pay talks and we will of course continue to keep you updated.

Yours,

Kevin Callinan
General Secretary

Fórsa is encouraging members to complete a short survey to help further our research on bullying in the workplace. Your contribution is entirely voluntary and anonymous and is in strict compliance with Fórsa's Data Protection policy.

The results of this research will help to provide objective statistical analysis to help inform our upcoming seminar, "Your Right to Dignity in the Workplace", which will take place on Thursday 16th November 2023. Details on how to attend this seminar will be circulated to branches next week.

This research aims to gain a more comprehensive understanding of members' experiences of bullying in the workplace or being a witness to bullying.

The survey also sets out to inform policy and procedures when raising such matters with respective employers.

This survey is relevant to all members, including those who have not directly experienced bullying at work.

The survey is online now and it will remain open until Friday 27th October 2023. You can access it HERE.

The purpose of Trade Union training and education is to empower our representatives and equip them to secure better outcomes for our members.  

Trade Union education is different from other forms of education because it is group oriented and grounded in the experiences, and needs of participants.

Trade union training is non-academic and focuses on developing key skills for effective representation, recognising that our representatives are the experts in their field. All the learning is practical, applicable, and relevant to participants.

The Fórsa Skills Academy works to enhance members’ knowledge, skills and attitudes with high quality, accessible training and learning events, and activist development opportunities.

Our programmes are about supporting local leaders, developing competent representatives, and supporting our activists.  How?  By creating a simple pathway of learning for representatives to travel.

A quick overview of our main programmes is contained in the diagram below, represented as a series of blocks forming a learning pathway, from new member to workplace representative and then on to branch executive officer.  Additional courses are being added all the time to this pathway.

 
We survey all participants in our training courses to ensure we can adjust our training to ensure they are as effective as possible and to ensure we continue to support members on their learning pathway. 

The Application Process 

It’s important that training applications are received in a timely fashion to enable all courses to proceed as scheduled.  The Branch Executive Committee and Officials should be made aware of those seeking training, so that they can advise and provide support accordingly.

Keep an eye on your Divisional ebulletin for further articles about training and education in Fórsa.  If you have a specific question or clarification on our training programmes, please don’t hesitate to contact Judith in the Skills Academy office in Cork at skillsacademy@forsa.ie

We look forward to welcoming you at our next training programme and leave you with a wonderful quote from the indomitable Maya Angelou: “I did then what I knew how to do.  Now that I know better, I do better”. 

Fórsa members can win a €1,000 Blue Book hotel voucher by entering a competition organised by Glennon Car and Home Insurance at Arachas. Just contact Glennon to renew an existing car or home policy or take out a new one and you will be automatically entered into the draw.

The competition closes on the 31st of December when a winner will be chosen at random. Glennon at Arachas are insurance experts with over 70 years’ industry experience. They have worked with the union for many years. For more details of the details of the competition you can see the terms & conditions.

You can get further information on Glennon deals for Fórsa members by clicking HERE or by calling 01-707-5999.