More Power to You, a coalition of Fórsa, SIPTU, and Connect, launched its local election manifesto this week, calling for stronger local government and local services, and more effective local democracy.

Delegates to Fórsa’s national conference last week unanimously voted to back a motion instructing the union to support members that may be subjected to far-right agitation and backlash in their workplace and communities.

Fórsa has welcomed the introduction of a new domestic violence and abuse workplace policy in the local government sector.

In a wide ranging speech to Fórsa's biennial conference, general secretary Kevin Callinan told delegates that “social dialogue is meaningless unless it produces answers to real problems.”

The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) has published the sectoral policy for Menopause in the Workplace, a move warmly welcomed by Fórsa.

Disabilities were in the spotlight this year at conference, with a number of motions calling on Fórsa to campaign to make the public service as welcome a place as possible for people with disabilities.