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Fórsa seeks talks on SNA contract review
by Mehak Dugal
 

Fórsa has formally sought a start to contract review discussions for special needs assistants (SNAs).


Fórsa has formally sought a start to contract review discussions for special needs assistants (SNAs). The union won a commitment to a contract review in the discussions that led to the Building Momentum public service agreement.

 

The review would encapsulate the full SNA contract including issues such as June working and the so called ‘72 hours.’

 

As the union awaits the confirmation of dates for talks from the education department, its Education Division executive committee said it would continue to press to secure dates for the commencement of the review.

 

The executive has resolved to consider other avenues if a date is not forthcoming from the department. The union says a failure to undertake the review would be a breach of the national agreement.

 

The Building Momentum provision for a review includes a review of the obligation for SNAs to be available for an additional 72 hours each year.

 

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

Union supports staff in new school year
 

Unions will be monitoring safety and other issues in schools and colleges into the winter as staff experience their first normal new academic year since 2019.


Unions will be monitoring safety and other issues in schools and colleges into the winter as staff experience their first normal new academic year since 2019.

 

Along with other education unions, Fórsa plans to engage with school managements and the education department if issues arise.

 

Fórsa official Shane Lambert said SNAs, school secretaries, caretakers and other generally welcomed a return to schools without restrictions.

 

“Whilst it’s welcome to be free of any restrictions and mingle with the children, friends and colleagues as normal, we will be on the lookout for any problems that arise. We wish all our members across schools and education the very best for the year ahead,” he said.

 

Shane stressed that communication was a two-way street.

 

“We will do our best to keep members appraised of industrial relations developments that happen – and of all the benefits that are available to Fórsa members. But members need to keep us appraised of developments or issues within schools as they arise. The earlier we know about a problem, the better a chance we have of resolving it,” he said.

 

He urged Fórsa members to contact their local rep if they needed advice or assistance.

 

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

Union issues reminder on ‘72 hours’
by Mehak Dugal
 

Fórsa is reminding special needs assistants (SNAs) of its earlier advice to members regarding the ‘72-hours obligation. 


Fórsa is reminding special needs assistants (SNAs) of its earlier advice to members regarding the ‘72-hours obligation. The union had sent advice to members previously that if an SNA is asked to perform tasks it must be under the provision it would be done on the basis of explicit adherence to the circular.

 

The instruction was issued earlier this year on foot of Covid and general conditions in classrooms at the time.

 

Fórsa lifted the instruction in April, but only on the provision that if an SNA were asked to perform tasks under the provision it would be done on the basis of explicit adherence to the circular. The union has asked individual schools to ensure they adhere to the nationally agreed circular and in turn the provisions of the various national agreements in the intervening period.

 

In recent months, the union has also raised concerns about significant breaches of the 72-hours circular with the education department.

 

Fórsa’s head of education said the union had heard numerous examples of SNAs being asked to undertake inappropriate duties and being expected to attend premises for a set duration of time without appropriate tasks being identified.

 

“We’ve also seen examples of hours not being recorded or allocated in line with the provisions of the circular, or hours consistently scheduled in a manner that extends the working day or week. So, as we head into another school year, the union is reminding SNAs about the union’s position on the 72 hours,” he said.

 

The additional hours were introduced under the 2011 Croke Park agreement, and Andy said it was one of the last vestiges of the period’s austerity measures. “The evidence available shows that many schools are not using the hours for the purposes specified in the 2011 circular to support students with additional care needs,” he said.

 

Read the union’s directive on 72 hours 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.

Union reps help widen education access
by Mehak Dugal
 

Union representation on a working group has helped ensure that children in state care are included in a new education access action plan launched by Minster Simon Harris yesterday (Thursday).


Union representation on a working group has helped ensure that children in state care are included in a new education access action plan launched by Minster Simon Harris yesterday (Thursday).

 

This is the first time that children in state care have been included in efforts to widen access to higher education.

 

Gina O’Brien of Fórsa’s Higher Education Branch and Cait Ni Mhurchu of the union’s School Completion Programme Branch were members of the working group on the education needs of children in care, which has welcomed the inclusion of this underrepresented group.

 

There is no official data available to describe or track the educational attainment and progress of care-experienced young people, and the working group wants the higher education department collate this data.

 

The same consultation revealed a need to better understand or expand the targeted priority groups.

 

The latest plan identifies three groups who are underrepresented in higher education: students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, members of Irish Traveller and Roma communities, and those with disabilities including intellectual disabilities.

 

Fórsa representatives said achieving access, participation, and success in higher education for the priority groups was central to the objectives of the new plan.

 

The union's representatives said: “What we wanted heading into these consultations was for the ideal Irish student population to reflect the diversity of the population on the island, and this meant achieving accurate representation for the children in state care too. This is a significant development as it is the first time ever this inclusion has taken place, and it is the direct result of union representation on the group.”

 

“We had to make sure every voice was heard and represented in the plan so no one was barred from the basic essential right of accessing proper education. The diverse range of experts on the group including specialists in children in care educated us in highlighting this cohort of students’ issues,” they added.

 

Fórsa said the working group identified underrepresented groups in higher education and barriers that prevent their inclusion.

 

The access plan sits within the wider ambitions of the programme for government, which includes a commitment to accessible, affordable education for each citizen.

 

The access plan commits the country’s higher education institutions to be inclusive, universally designed environments which support and foster student success and outcomes, equity, and diversity. The institutions are also instructed to be responsive to the needs of students and wider communities.

 

In line with these ambitions, the Plan targets underrepresented students, vulnerable students, and students who have experienced disadvantage and who face challenges in accessing higher education and feeling they belong.

 

Read the national access plan 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.

Parents guidance on school starts
by Mehak Dugal
 

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has published a guide for parents whose children are starting primary school for the first time.


The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has published a guide for parents whose children are starting primary school for the first time. The free resource, linked below, includes information on transitioning from home to school, preparing children for learning and primary school life, the primary curriculum, and special education.

 

It also includes sections on managing your first day and a typical school day, and contains guidance on attendance, uniforms, books, healthy eating, interculturalism, homework and much more.

 

Prepared by teachers for parents with pupils entering primary education for the first time, it is also available in Ukrainian and Russian translation to help parents of the large number of Ukrainian pupils now enrolling in primary and special schools.

 

The guides are available here:

 

English

 

Irish

 

Ukrainian 

 

Russian 

 

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

Inflation hits low paid hardest
by Mehak Dugal
 

Workers on lower incomes face a higher rate of inflation than the average according to a recent report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). 


Workers on lower incomes face a higher rate of inflation than the average according to a recent report from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). It estimates that June inflation of 9.1% went as high as 10.3% for lower income households, and as low as 8.2% for higher earners period.

 

This is because spending on essentials makes up a larger part of lower earners’ outgoings. So inflationary hikes on those products hit them hardest.

 

The CSO estimates that lower earners spend a larger share of their income on essentials like food and fuel, and the rise in the prices of these products has a much worse effect on their incomes.

 

The massive hikes in food and energy bills, are further pinching the disposable incomes available with lower earners.

 

Earlier this week, it was reported that eurozone inflation also hit another record high this month at 9.1%

 

Read the CSO’s Inflation by Household report 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.

International solidarity event for November
by Mehak Dugal
 

Fórsa is asking its branches and members to sign up for a solidarity event, which takes place in the union’s Dublin office on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th November.


Fórsa is asking its branches and members to sign up for a solidarity event, which takes place in the union’s Dublin office on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th November.

 

The seminar will discuss a range of international trade union and human rights issues including international trade union rights, the rise of the far-right in Ireland, refugee justice, and much more.

 

It will also be an opportunity to hear about Forsa’s global solidarity work, particularly in Colombia, Palestine and Ukraine.

 

Specific details of the event are due to follow soon in the next bulletin issue.

 

If you wish to attend or are interested in the event, please contact internationalsolidarity@forsa.ie for more information.

 

Due to the pressure on hotel rooms in Dublin we have held several rooms in a nearby hotel. These will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

 

So, if you require accommodation on the Friday night please email the above email address as early as possible.

 

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

 

Feature Article
Public pay deal recommended
by Bernard Harbor
 

Fórsa’s elected national executive met yesterday (Thursday) and voted overwhelmingly to recommend the public service pay package proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) earlier this week. 


Fórsa’s elected national executive met yesterday (Thursday) and voted overwhelmingly to recommend the public service pay package proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) earlier this week. The union also decided to suspend earlier plans for an industrial action ballot to allow members to vote on the pay package.

 

The ballot on the package will commence next week, with voting concluding in early October. In the meantime, the union has produced this ‘frequently asked questions’ document, which includes a facility for members to ask questions

 

The pay proposals would see increases of 3% with effect from 2nd February 2022, 2% from 1st March 2023 and 1.5% or €750 (whichever is the greater) from 1st October 2023.

 

This is in addition to 1% or €500, whichever is greater, which due at the beginning of October 2022 under the existing Building Momentum agreement.

 

The minimum payment of €750 a year from next October means the package would be worth 8% to a worker earning €25,000 a year and 7% to a person on €37,500 a year.

 

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who led the union side in the talks, said the deal was the best that could currently be achieved through negotiations.

 

“The Fórsa executive considered the details of the package and had a constructive debate, which strongly acknowledged the financial realities facing working people across the economy – as well as their fears for the future.

 

“While neither side achieved all it sought in the negotiations, this package is a significant improvement on the pay terms of the current public service agreement, Building Momentum, and it is worth more to those who need it most.

 

“Over the past weeks, Minister McGrath and his Government colleagues have repeatedly promised to supplement pay measures with other cost-of-living supports including in the forthcoming Budget. Workers will now expect delivery on that promise. A Government failure to deliver will certainly impact the vote,” he said.

 

Other unions are also consulting their members on the package in advance of a collective decision on whether to accept or reject the package. This will take place at a meeting of the ICTU Public Services Committee (PSC) on Friday 7th October.

 

The pay talks resumed on Monday (29th August) after a ten-week hiatus during which the Government said it was reflecting on its position. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath said his revised offer was final, although union negotiators held out for an improved sum for lower paid public servants.

 

The total 2022-2023 increases due under the WRC-proposed package would be:

 

2nd February 2022          3%

1st October 2022             1% or €500 a year (whichever is the greater). Note, this was agreed under                                             the original Building Momentum agreement

1st March 2023                2%

1st October 2023             1.5% or €750 (whichever is the greater).

 

Read our FAQ document 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.

Also in this issue
Congress wants higher minimum wage
by Róisín McKane
 

 

 

 


The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has called on the Government to increase the national minimum wage from €10.50 to €12 per hour in this month’s budget.

 

ICTU’s private sector committee said that this hourly increase would provide a significant boost to workers’ living standards and enhance the sales revenue of businesses reliant upon their purchasing power.

 

It added that anything less would result in low-paid workers suffering substantial real cuts in their living standards.

 

Earlier this year, the Government announced proposals to start introducing a living wage for all employees from 2023. It said the living wage, which would be significantly higher than the current legal minimum, would replace the national minimum wage over four years.

 

The living wage, calculated by a technical group made up of trade unions, economists, charities, and social justice campaigners, is the net wage needed to cover all the costs of living. It is currently set at €12.90 an hour, compared to a €10.50 minimum wage.

 

In its pre-budget submission, ICTU said an increase in the national minimum wage would correspond with the plans to introduce the living wage within the proposed timeline.

 

“An increase to €12 per hour would also help ensure that the Government reaches its target of increasing the minimum wage to the living wage within a reasonable time frame,” it said.

 

Congress also emphasised the benefit of increasing the minimum wage during a time of high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis. “One of the most effective anti-inflation tools the Government can employ in the upcoming budget is to increase the incomes of those in the lowest-paid jobs in the economy,” it said.

 

Read ICTU’s Laura Bambrick piece on why the minimum wage must change for workers under 20.

 

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

 

Traveller event stresses union role
by Mehak Dugal
 

 

 

 


An event defining the relationship between Irish Travellers and the State in the century up to 2022 is being held in National University of Ireland Galway on 16th and 17th September.

 

It will focus on trade union perspectives.

 

The conference is a full two-day event with sessions on language, culture and heritage; law and justice, human rights, accessing accommodation, education and other important issues.

 

Fórsa official Lisa Connell will speak on the issue of trade union perspectives on Traveller rights in the workplace. She made a presentation to an Oireachtas committee on issues affecting the Traveller community, where she and ICTU official David Joyce highlighted the enormous scale of unemployment among the Traveller community. Just 10,653 Travellers – or 80% of the total in the labour force – are unemployed.

 

“At the Oireachtas hearing I made the point that the public sector is the area where best practice exists in respect to employment standards and where decent pay, pay transparency but robust policies have all been negotiated through collective bargaining.

 

“There is a need for the union movement to play a key role in addressing the systematic inequalities that exist which prohibit travellers from being able to access decent employment opportunities let alone decent pay,” she said.

 

Lisa said it was unacceptable that any group in Irish society see such an enormous unemployment rate amongst its population.

 

“The unions play a key role in ensuring that this inequality is a key aspect of our equality agenda. Fórsa have sought engagement with DPER in respect to engaging with them directly in respect to ensuring that employment opportunities are opened up across the public and civil service which would start to address some of the unacceptable standards in respect to accessing decent work in line with conference motions on this,” she said.

 

The conference will also emphasise the need for cultural training in large employments to ensure that Travellers they are not subjected to discrimination or inequality.

 

Read the event programme 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.

 

Housing: Referendum urgently needed
by Mehak Dugal
 

 

 

 


Fórsa has called for an urgent Government commitment to a referendum on the right to housing, with a firm date for voting, in its latest submission on the issue.

 

The union, in alliance with ICTU and the Home for Good coalition, has submitted the statement to the official public consultation on a referendum on housing in Ireland.

 

Fórsa said it believes that a referendum on housing must lead to a referendum on the right to housing in the constitution.

 

“Many of our members not only work in the housing and homelessness sectors but are experiencing the emotional and economic strain of housing exclusion, homelessness, and living in inadequate, unsafe, insecure or overcrowded accommodation,” it says.

 

“Fórsa understands the importance of a home as the fundamental social and economic infrastructure of our society,” it added.

 

With 61,880 people on the public housing wait lists, 10,325 in official homelessness, and 166,000 vacant homes throughout the country, the report calls out the severe lack of progressive housing policy which empowers local authorities to produce affordable housing.

 

“A constitutional right to housing will open pathways for policy makers to assist Local Authorities in the development of more affordable homes that the people of Ireland desperately need,” it says.

 

The union’s campaigns’ director, Kevin Donoghue, said a key factor outlined in the submission was empowering the local authorities, which hold key responsibilities in managing public lands, to pursue ambitious housing policy.

 

“This is important to secure the production of high levels of public housing. Affordable housing is crucial to ending the housing crisis, and the union has maintained that throughout its submission. A right to housing will shift the responsibilities for housing and homelessness from the market, which has no obligation to provide affordable housing, to the State.

 

“This is a multigenerational emergency that will continue to sow irreparable damage on our society unless the constitution is balanced so that all levels of government are empowered to do more,” he said.

 

“The severity of the housing crisis demands that a referendum on the right to housing occurs swiftly,” added Kevin.

 

The union says the constitution in its current form is “deeply unbalanced,” leaving too many facing housing insecurity to depend on legislation that has no structure for legal support.

 

Read the full submission 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.

Unions support Colombian rights
by Mehak Dugal
 

 

 

 


Fórsa has written to the newly-elected Colombian government to express support for its political programme and emphasise the union’s continued commitment to supporting implementation of the 2016 peace agreement.

 

In a letter addressed to President Gustavo Petro and Vice-President Francia Márquez, a group of British and Irish unions representing over 6.5 million workers, welcomed policies which contained “the potential for change that could see significant steps away from the violence and deep-rooted inequality that has affected Colombia for so long.”

 

The Justice for Colombia union coalition congratulated Colombian president Gustavo Petro and vice-president Francia Márquez on their hard-won victory. Their Historic Pact coalition brought together a broad front of progressive parties, and received strong backing from young people, women, ethnic minorities, trade unions and the pro-peace movement.

 

Justice for Colombia also welcomed the new Government’s commitments on labour rights, human rights and peace. The country’s first progressive administration has pledged to invest in society, to protect human rights and the environment, and to support the 2016 peace agreement.

 

The Historic Pact Government entered office on 7th August and will govern until 2026.

 

For two decades, Justice for Colombia has taken international delegations of trade unionists and parliamentarians to witness the reality in Colombia and to build international support for those working towards peace and social justice in the country.

 

Read the full letter 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.

Stronger whistleblower law welcomed
by Mehak Dugal
 

 

 

 


Fórsa has welcomed improved whistleblower legislation, which extends exiting protections to include people who report breaches of European Union law.

 

The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act provides for a comprehensive overhaul of the statutory framework for the protection of whistleblowers in Ireland and for the transposition of an EU directive on protections for people who report breaches of EU law.

 

The new bill amends the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and provides for a significant expansion of its personal scope to further include protections for volunteers, shareholders, board members and job applicants for the first time.

 

It also requires that private sector organisations with 50 or more employees will be required to establish formal channels and procedures for their employees to make protected disclosures, as is currently the case in the public sector. This will be monitored and enforced by the Workplace Relations Commission.

 

With enactment of the legislation, the new Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner will be established and will commence operations later this year.

 

The union said the passage of this law was a “significant step” towards improved protections for whistleblowers in Ireland and would encourage more people to come forward and expose wrongful activities in their organisations.

 

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