Fórsa’s elected National Executive met earlier this week and decided overwhelmingly to recommend acceptance of the proposed new public service agreement, Building Momentum. The proposals will be put to a ballot of the union’s members early in the New Year.

The proposal is for a two-year agreement, to run from January 2021 to December 2022, with two pay increases, each worth 1% of annual salary, or €500 a year, whichever is the greater. This means the deal is worth substantially more for lower paid workers in percentage terms.

A third increase, worth a further 1%, would be available for grade-based bargaining for all public service grades. This could either be used to deal with issues affecting particular grades, or it could be taken as a straight 1% pay award.

The package also retains existing protections against the privatisation and outsourcing of public services, and it preserves the €100 cap on CORU registration fees for health and social care professionals.

Building Momentum also requires the education department to consult with Fórsa about the possible updating of the SNA contract, including the appropriate use of the contracted 72 hours. This provides the first opportunity to renegotiate the SNA contract for over 15 years.

Haddington Road hours

The deal also addresses the additional hours introduced for many civil and public servants under the 2013 Haddington Road agreement.

This would be done through the establishment of an independent body by the end of March 2021. It would make recommendations to begin the process of returning to pre-Haddington Road hours in 2022, with €150 million set aside to commence implementation. Then there’s provision for a successor agreement to engage on the roll-out of additional recommendations.

Building Momentum also includes certain productivity measures, as is the case in all public service agreements. But union negotiators faced down attempts to introduce open competitions for all posts, a five-over-seven working week, and other unacceptable measures. Like previous deals, it also includes an ‘industrial peace’ clause.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who led the union negotiating team as chair of the ICTU Public Services Committee, said the outcome represented a positive short-term package, negotiated against a difficult background, to build on the momentum of recent pay restoration and public service flexibility and service quality.

“The proposals are substantially weighted towards lower-income civil and public servants, and they represent solid progress on the three priorities we outlined at the outset of the talks. These were a mechanism to address issues outstanding from the Haddington Road agreement, including additional working time, a separate mechanism to address sectoral issues, and a realistic and acceptable approach to pay.

“This isn’t everything we all wish for. But it includes important advances and vital protections that will not exist in the absence of an agreement, and is the best that could have been achieved at this time,” he said.

Fórsa will be announcing the arrangements for balloting all members covered by the proposed deal in due course. It’s expected that the ballot will take place first thing in 2021. The closing date will be before the 15th February, which is when the ICTU Public Services Committee will accept or reject the package on the basis of aggregated union ballot outcomes.

Covid restrictions on travel and assembly, together with the impending holiday period and increased remote working, led the PSC to agree a longer balloting period than usual.

Get the full details HERE.

Read the full agreement HERE.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

The first opportunity in over 15 years to renegotiate the special needs assistant (SNA) contract is in sight if the proposed new public service agreement is accepted in ballots of members, according to Fórsa.

The proposed deal, Building Momentum, requires the education department to consult with Fórsa about the possible updating of the contract, including the appropriate use of the contracted 72 hours.

Fórsa’s head of education Andy Pike says the contract requires modernisation in several areas, including the obligation to be available for 72 hours for SEN-related duties.

“The SNA role has changed since 2005, and continues to develop on foot of initiatives like the NCSE review of the SNA scheme, the roll-out of the schools inclusion model and the frontloading of SNA allocations. Fórsa will seek changes to various elements of the existing contract including minimum qualifications, continuous professional development (CPD), training, and professional recognition,” he said.

The union already has a claim for the abolition of the 72 hours lodged in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

“While the proposed agreement doesn’t abolish the hours, it does commit the education department to a serious review of the use of the hours, which will open up a wider discussion on the role of SNAs,” said Andy.

The 72 hours were introduced under the 2010 Croke Park agreement, and replaced an existing contractual liability to work 12 days during school holidays.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

Fórsa has welcomed the proposed prioritisation of education staff and other key workers in the ‘provisional vaccine allocation groups’ published by the health department last week. These groups will be among those prioritised to receive the Covid-19 vaccination once it’s approved for use in Ireland.

Those working in education are listed as 11th priority in HSE plans for the vaccine’s roll-out.

Fórsa’s head of education, Andy Pike welcomed the confirmation that schools and other staff are among the priority groups.

“SNAs and other schools staff are to be prioritised because of the essential roles they carry out in maintaining education provision during the pandemic where they themselves cannot maintain a social distance.

“Forsa has been making the case for schools staff such as SNAs, secretaries and caretakers to be amongst the priority groups and this Government decision is welcome,” he said.

Fórsa subsequently met the HSE and the Department of Education and Skills to discuss how the vaccination programme will work.

Fórsa has also convinced the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) to include reception areas and public counters as areas where the use of face masks should be considered. This was set out in new guidance issued earlier this month. See point 1.8 in this FAQ document.

Fórsa said the high priority given to frontline health workers, who will be the second group prioritised for vaccination, was expected. The union added that the inclusion of health service support staff as the fourth group was also necessary and welcome.

The union said it would press for certain frontline local authority staff, community sector workers and civil servants – including those in social welfare offices and customs and border posts – to be included as key workers in essential jobs who can’t avoid a high risk of exposure.

The Government subsequently published a detailed national vaccination strategy, which will see Covid vaccines rolled out by a range of qualified health professionals in three phases, with the highest priority groups receiving the vaccines first.

The strategy says vaccines will be administered from long-term care facilities, hospitals, mass vaccination clinics, GP surgeries and community pharmacies.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

Fórsa has recently established a national school caretakers’ branch. And we want your help to spread the word.

Fórsa’s caretakers were previously included in the union’s school secretaries’ branch. But following the successful ‘support our secretaries’ campaign, which saw an increase in membership of more than 50%, we think caretakers need a branch of their own.

The union’s director of campaigns, Joe O’Connor, says this will enable recruitment and activism at local level, as the union embarks on negotiations and upcoming ballots.

“We’re currently engaged in negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), where the union is setting out to negotiate an agreement which delivers on Government commitments, and ensures respect and fair conditions for all school secretaries and caretakers nationwide,” he said.

“We need to build on the strength of the “support our secretaries” campaign, ensuring that we strengthen the hand of caretakers throughout these integral discussions,” he said.

Fórsa has recently developed a survey to learn more about our caretaker members. Joe is urging members to assist in the distribution of this survey to caretakers, whether they are members of Fórsa or not.

“We would appreciate your support with this, to ensure our union is in the strongest possible position as we enter this crucial phase for school secretaries and caretakers in 2021,” said Joe.

The survey can be accessed HERE, and can be shared by by email, or by Whatsapp/text message.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

Fórsa has given a guarded welcome to a Government announcement that the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes will be published in January. But the union says a way must be found to give survivors and their families full access to their own personal records.

The records, collected during the Commission’s five-year investigation, are currently sealed for 30 years. In late October, this was underpinned by a Dáil vote on legislation to transfer the Commission’s 60,000 records to Tusla, the child and family agency.

However, the Government subsequently said State agencies would engage with the Data Protection Commissioner on the matter. Earlier this month, children’s minister Roderic O’Gorman said the Government would provide “the full allowable GDPR access,” but admitted that this would not fully resolve the question.

Fórsa says the New Year must herald a new start for the survivors, who should be granted a long-overdue right to access their own data and testimonies. Union official Shane Lambert said the October Dáil debate had been a huge blow to survivors.

“This is going to be a difficult Christmas for families across Ireland, but none more than those of the survivors who deserve dignity and respect. Fórsa fully supports the survivors and their families, including their demand for access to documents about their own personal history. These should not be kept from them for another three decades – a situation that means many will never know their full and true life stories.

“This is not a historical issue, and the hurt and anguish for all those affected remains real. The New Year is a time for new beginnings, and 2021 should see the removal of all barriers and obstacles to survivors and their families discovering their past. This would help them find closure, and it would help our society to meet its responsibilities and move on as a country from this dark chapter,” he said.

The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was established in early 2015 to investigate a range of things including arrangements for the entry of single women into the homes, the living conditions they experienced, and mortality amongst mothers and children residing in the institutions.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

Ireland is to get a brand-new university in two weeks’ time, when Munster Technological University (MTU) comes into existence on 1st January. Created from an amalgamation of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Institute of Technology Tralee (IT Tralee), MTU will be the country’s second technological university, after TU Dublin was established almost two years ago.

Fórsa, which represents a large number of staff in the two institutions, has welcomed the merger.

Chair of the union’s higher education branch, Gina O’Brien, said MTU would provide substantial opportunities to both students and staff, allowing them to progress and develop their careers.

“The technological university sector presents significant opportunities for research, development and innovation. With the creation of TU Dublin last year, MTU marks another success on the path towards an enhanced higher education sector in Ireland,” she said.

Fórsa has been deeply engaged in the process to establish MTU and is looking forward to continuing this work on further mergers with Carlow and Waterford institutes of technology, Athlone and Limerick institutes of technology, and the Connacht/Ulster alliance of Letterkenny, Sligo and Galway/Mayo institutes of technology.

It was announced last week that Professor Maggie Cusack will become MTU’s inaugural president, the second-ever woman to be appointed president of an Irish University.

MTU will be Cork’s second university and Kerry’s first. Students can avail of over 140 programmes and courses across six different campuses in the two counties. The university will have 18,000 students and is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

The North Dublin North Leinster SNA branch has seen a surge in the number of activists, with over 100 new local representatives signing up since the start of the school year.

The branch carried out an extensive recruitment drive in the region, on the basis of an organising strategy developed by the branch’s executive committee over the summer months.

School’s organiser Michael Kerrigan welcomed the new activists, and explained that the branch undertook an extensive body of work earlier in the year.

“The branch has worked hard, mapping schools, representation and membership across the region, and contacting members who had expressed an interest in getting more involved with the union” he said. “Our new reps are very welcome. Most have now attended representative introduction workshops which have been taking place online throughout December."

The workshops included information and discussions on Fórsa structures and decision-making procedures, the role of local representatives, individual and collective grievances, motion writing and branch executive committee elections.

Michael said more in-depth training would be provided to representatives when Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

For more information on joining Fórsa click HERE.

It’s never been more important – or easier – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

President Michael D Higgins last week marked “Go Raibh Maith Agaibh Day (GRMA day) by paying tribute to school staff and their communities as they continue to navigate and manage the Covid-19 pandemic. GRMA day acknowledges and celebrates the hard work of school communities maintaining a safe environment for children.

President Higgins, a longstanding advocate for inclusive education and independent thought, led tributes to school communities for their efforts to ensure students are kept safe during the pandemic.

“All of you have worked with great dedication to ensure our school gates could reopen in August and our young people could return to schools that would operate under the safest conditions possible,” he said.

The President acknowledged the dedication and sacrifices of all those involved in the education system, paying tribute to SNAs, school secretaries, caretakers, teachers and transport staff, and thanked them for their efforts to adapt to the Covid-19 crisis.

“May I thank you for all of the generous sacrifices made,” he said. “Your flexibility, compassion and professionalism has ensured that our young people have been enabled to resume their education, maintain and develop friendships, and continue to grow and learn alongside their peers in a positive and nurturing school environment.”

The day of celebration was organised by the advisory board of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals in collaboration with education partners and student leaders. It offers a moment for Ireland to pause and acknowledge the substantial effort involved in reopening and maintaining school services.

To watch President Higgins’ address in full click HERE. 

For more information on Go Raibh Maith Agaibh Day click HERE.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called on the Government to give all workers a legal right to request flexible working arrangements, including remote work.

A new European Union directive will give this right to carers and parents of young children by 2022. But ICTU fears this may result in home-working becoming “highly feminised,” with adverse effects on women’s career prospects.

Earlier this month, ICTU’s social policy officer, Laura Bambrick, told the Citizens’ Assembly on Work and Welfare that Irish-based workers’ rights to flexible work – including flexitime, part-time work, job-sharing and remote working – lags behind most EU countries. “Under current law, flexible and remote working is solely at the employer’s discretion,” she said.

She called on the Government to extend the right to request flexible working to every worker when it legislates to give effect to the new EU directive on work-life balance.

“Limiting the right to carers and parents of small children risks a highly feminised shift to working from home, which would have negative consequences for women’s career progression,” she said. Laura cited US research which shows that, compared to their office-based colleagues, remote workers are at greater risk of being overlooked for training and promotional opportunities.

Women are far more likely than men to take time out of paid work to cover caring responsibilities.

Earlier this year, Fórsa highlighted the issue of career prospects in evidence to a Government consultation on the future of remote work.

An earlier survey of the union’s members found that almost a fifth feared that remote working could reduce their access to training and inhibit their career development.

The Fórsa submission said: “There is a responsibility on managers to ensure that all staff have access to training, career development and promotional prospects regardless of whether they work remotely, in the workplace, or a blend of the two.”

The union also supported ICTU’s call for expanded legal rights for all employees to request flexible working arrangements in the light of experience in Europe and elsewhere.

New CSO figures published earlier this month demonstrate the need for Government to continue to stimulate the economy through income supports, business supports and public investment, according to Fórsa.

The CSO data shows that domestic demand soared when Covid-19 restrictions were eased in the third quarter of 2020.

Fórsa says the figures underlined the need for Government to reject austerity in its approach to public finances, and instead give people – particularly those on low incomes – the hope and confidence that will help the economy bounce back when the Covid situation stabilises.

The union’s general secretary Kevin Callinan said a return to austerity in the management of the public finances would sap confidence.

“If we give people hope, we will also give them confidence to spend and participate in the economy and in their communities. This is the lifeblood that can quickly rejuvenate businesses – be they large, medium or small.

“And it’s the route to rapid employment, economic and fiscal recovery, which must be grasped in all sectors of the economy. All the economic projections point to a rapid economic and fiscal bounce-back once the Covid situation stabilises, and we have cause to hope that will start to happen in the coming months,” he said.

The CSO figures for the July-September 2020 period, during which Covid restrictions were eased considerably, showed:

• Personal spending on goods and services grew by over 21%
• Underlying domestic activity increased by almost 19%
• The distribution, transport, hotel and restaurants sector saw grew by 47%
• Exports of goods and services increased by almost 6%.

Fórsa members in the civil and public service will vote to decide whether their union backs acceptance or rejection of the proposed new agreement. It’s your choice. But we’ll need your personal up-to-date contact details to guarantee that your voice is heard.

So, we’re asking members to visit the Fórsa website and give us your personal email address, home postal address, and mobile phone number.

We’re seeking personal (rather than work) details because this reduces the chance of union communications being blocked or lost in your employer’s systems. This information will be held in strict compliance with our Data Protection Policy, and used only for communications on union matters, including the forthcoming ballot.

Please also share this message with colleagues who may not receive the Fórsa ebulletin.

To update your details quickly and easily visit the ‘update my details’ page on the Fórsa website and complete the online form.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

Like many other workplaces, Fórsa offices will be closed at certain times over the holiday. The union’s offices will close on the evening of Wednesday, 23rd December 2020, and will reopen on Monday 4th January 2021, subject to any emergency health measures in place at that time.

If you need to get in touch, you can reach Fórsa by phone on 01-817-1500 between 10.00am and 4.00pm. Between 28^th and 31^st December, there will be someone available to deal with urgent queries. At times when the phones aren’t staffed, you can leave a message and someone will get back to you.

In the meantime, you can keep up with important developments on the union's website. 

As we sign off on our final bulletin of 2020, a special word of acknowledgement and thanks goes out to the many Fórsa members who will be working or on-call, maintaining vital public services over the holiday period. And we wish all our members a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year. Have a good break. We look forward to returning with all the news in January.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

The union’s National Executive has approved the appointment of Katie Morgan as national secretary and Ashley Connolly as national secretary in due course. These senior Fórsa posts, which involve heading up a division or department of the union, were filled following a confined competition.

Katie has been assigned as national secretary for the Services and Enterprises division, where deputy general secretary Matt Staunton has been leading since the retirement of Angela Kirk earlier this year. But Ashley will cover the position on an acting basis for the time being as Katie is about to go on maternity leave.

Ashley will also continue to be the lead official for cabin crew, but her direct responsibility for the Health and Safety Authority branch and CORU cases are to be reassigned.

Earlier this year the National Executive agreed to make two appointments, at least one of which must be a woman, when national secretary posts become available. The second appointee will take up the next post that becomes available. The measure was put in place to address the gender imbalance in the union’s top posts.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

The Cabinet last week approved proposed amendments to the 1995 Adoptive Leave Act, which will enable married male same-sex couples to avail of adoptive leave.

The couples will be able to choose who takes the leave.

In a separate development, a new official circular gives effect to a legal pension right for same sex couples who were unable to marry or enter a civil partnership prior to retirement from the public service. They now have access to the public service pension spouses’ and children’s scheme.

Published at the end of November, the circular has limited application as it is only relevant to former members of the original public service spouses’ and children’s scheme or former pensionable public servants who didn’t join an original scheme when the option was made available to them.

The change is not relevant to members and former members of the ‘revised’ spouses’ and children’s scheme or to members of the single public service scheme, which applies to public servants employed since January 2013. This is because both schemes already include the provision.

The cabinet has finally approved an increase in parent’s leave from two to five weeks for each parent, but says this can’t happen until April 2021 because IT systems need to be updated to make it possible. The necessary legislation is expected in the New Year.

Each parent of a child born on or before 1st November 2019 is currently eligible to take two weeks’ parent’s leave in the child’s first year. The leave, which attracts a parent’s benefit of €245 a week for workers with sufficient PRSI contributions, is different from unpaid parental leave.

Following a budget announcement in October, it had been expected that parent’s leave would increase to five weeks from next April, when the period in which the leave can be taken would also increase to two years.

Earlier this month the Fórsa news bulletin reported that unions had welcomed reports that parent’s leave would eventually be extended to nine weeks. This is the minimum requirement under an EU directive, which is due to be fully transposed into Irish law by August 2022.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has expressed concern at the low take-up of both paternity leave and parents' leave. It says this is mainly due to the relatively low payment of €245 a week and most employers’ reluctance to top up the benefit.

Some 50% of fathers don’t take the two weeks’ paternity leave they are due.

A recent spending review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) found that neither the public service nor most private sector employers topped up the payment.

SOURCE: Citizens Information.

Victims of domestic violence will soon be entitled to a period of paid leave from work, after last week’s Government announcement that there is to be a public consultation process on the matter. The development has been broadly welcomed by trade unions, including Fórsa. 

The union’s equality officer, Billy Hannigan, highlighted the importance of the minister’s announcement. “It’s widely recognised that rates of domestic abuse have spiked this year as a result of the pandemic, and it’s imperative that the Government puts appropriate measures in place to help protect victims.

“Employers must work with trade unions to develop workplace policies that put supports in place. This includes training staff in how to spot the signs of domestic abuse, and informing them how to support and properly signpost people,” he said. 

Billy added that the state, in its role as an employer, does not have to wait for legislation, but could implement supports for its own employees across the civil and public service before a bill is passed.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) recently called on the Irish government to ratify an International Labour Organisation convention on violence and harassment in the world of work, which includes provisions for domestic violence leave. The UN body – made up of representatives of governments, unions and employers – also called for flexible work arrangements and the inclusion of domestic violence in workplace risk assessments. 

The proposal for paid domestic abuse leave was first mooted in a trade union guide to domestic abuse produced by ICTU’s Women’s Committee in 2009. A motion calling for the right was debated and passed at its women’s conference in March of this year. 

Equality minister O’Gorman agreed to the consultation after Sinn Féin published legislation on the issue.

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE. 

Colombia’s peace process is under threat from the rising number of murders of community leaders and human rights activists, according to a report released this week by the Irish-British NGO Justice for Colombia (JFC).

It says over 250 activists have been killed in 2020, and more than 240 former FARC combatants, and 44 of their family members, have been murdered since the signing of the 2016 peace accord.

JFC says the Colombian Government’s verbal commitment to the peace process is “often contradicted by political decisions or inaction, which push in the opposite direction.” It cites underfunding of the peace process, slow implementation of rural reforms, and recent human rights scandals involving Colombian security forces.

Published on foot of an international delegation to Colombia, which included the ICTU president Gerry Murphy, the report sets out the principal advances and concerns facing the historic peace deal signed by the Colombian Government and the FARC guerrilla organisation over four years ago.

Commenting on the report, Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan called on the Irish Government to step-up diplomatic pressure on the Colombian administration.

“Given the unique perspective and experience of the Irish peace process, our Government is perfectly placed to encourage the Colombian authorities to deliver on their commitments. Fórsa is proud of its strong support for JFC, and this report explains, yet again, why Colombia must remain in the international human rights spotlight,” he said.

The report also highlights some areas of progress, and praises the work of the transitional justice system. Made up of a peace tribunal, a truth commission, and a unit to search for people who have disappeared, the transitional justice mechanisms “give an opportunity for victims to have their rights recognised on a scale never previously achieved in Colombia,” it says.

This is JFCs third report into the peace process, published as part of its peace monitor project, which involves arranging delegations of politicians and trade unionists to observe the peace process in progress. The most recent visit included meetings with human rights organisations, the Colombian Government, the FARC, and the UN Verification Mission.

Read the report HERE. 

Workers who wish to join Fórsa can to do so using a new ‘join online’ function on the union’s website.

Going live with the new system follows several months of research, preparation and testing aimed at making it easier than ever to join the union. It also goes live as the union continues to process a large number of new membership applications, as interest in joining the union has surged since the onset of the Covid-19 crisis.

Fórsa’s general secretary Kevin Callinan commented: “The current crisis has created the necessity to be able to carry out our business in different ways. Work on this project had commenced before the Covid-19 crisis took hold, and its completion marks a vital step as we tackle the challenges of living in changed times.

“We can see that more people want to join a union in response to what’s happening in the wider economy. It’s vital that they can take those initial steps quickly and easily, and making the membership application process more accessible is part of that process.

“This is a crucial new venture to enable Fórsa to substantially increase our membership - and to strengthen the union’s hand - at a critical time in the union’s development,” he said.

The online facility is a streamlined and simplified membership application process, and will be the quickest and easiest way to join the union. All incoming applications will continue to be subject to check-off and approval by Fórsa branches and the national executive committee, while the new online system is designed to ease the administrative burden on branches.

You can join Fórsa online at https://join.forsa.ie/

Fórsa is here to protect you if you have problems arising from the coronavirus or other workplace issues. The best way to contact the union at this time is HERE.

We will deal with queries as quickly as we can but, needless to say, the union will prioritise cases where members’ jobs and incomes are at immediate risk – as well as any serious health and safety issues that may arise.

Fórsa has cancelled all face-to-face meetings for the time being. The union is redeploying its staff to prioritise engagement with management on proposals arising from the Covid-19 public health crisis, and to provide rapid and efficient responses to members’ queries and concerns.

Fórsa's main phone line (01 817 1500) is now open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively members can use the Contact Us page on the Fórsa website to submit queries directly to the relevant division within Fórsa and this remains the most efficient way to access advice directly.

Wherever possible, Fórsa staff have been equipped to work remotely. Therefore, members should not attend Fórsa offices at this time. If you have a query or concern, the best way to raise it is to contact the union HERE.

Fórsa has set a target of achieving a resource efficiency rating above 50% within a year, and above 90% within five years as part of a new sustainability action plan. The union also plans to become carbon neutral by 2025.

The measures are contained in the union’s recently-adopted five-year strategic plan, and on foot of a 2019 environmental review of the union’s activities.

This report was prepared by the Clean Technology Centre, based at CIT, and outlines the current status of Fórsa’s environmental performance, as well as actions which Fórsa should consider to improve its sustainability.

A separate carbon footprint report, which accompanies this report, has also been prepared in full accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG), and covered the emitting activities for Fórsa.

The strategic organisational review team was tasked with developing a clear internal climate action and sustainability strategy to act as a roadmap for delivering on the Fórsa Sustainability Policy which was adopted by the National Executive Committee on 25th September 2019.

Billy Hannigan of the Fórsa Strategic Organisational Review Team said: “This environmental review has helped identify areas where Fórsa has been proactive in the development of a sustainable action plan. While we have already implemented some steps and made improvements, there is still a long way to go and scope for a lot more improvement.

By improving the union’s own practice, Fórsa will be in a position to strengthen our case for the kind of radical action on climate change and sustainability that we advocate for in workplaces, wider society and internationally.”

Some short-term goals set out in the recommendations of the report have already been identified and achieved during the course of the review, which including the rollout of LED lighting and centralised printing.

Meanwhile, the union’s strategic plan for 2021-2025 also includes the following key sustainability objectives, under the initiative of ‘Creating a greener, more sustainable union’:

• Improve the sustainability of Fórsa’s offices by bringing energy consumption in line with best practice benchmarks and achieving a resource efficiency rating greater than 50% in year 1, and greater than 90% within 5 years.
• Strive to become carbon neutral by 2025 by reducing the carbon footprint of Fórsa’s direct activities, reviewing indirect activities such as procurement processes and offsetting of the remainder of Fórsa’s carbon emissions.
• Consider the recommendations of Fórsa’s environmental audit with a view to achieving the objectives set out in the report within the target timeframes.

The union is also looking to establish an in-house ‘green team’ to oversee the rollout and delivery of this action plan in the near future.

Read the carbon footprint report HERE. 

Read Fórsa’s sustainability policy HERE. 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact us HERE.