The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) wants to hear your views on the cost of childcare. And Congress is also asking workers aged under 35 to complete its short survey about housing.

Speaking about the launch of the surveys, ICTU president Patricia King called for people to share their experiences. “Too many workers are struggling to make ends meet at a time when the economy and labour market continue to improve. The rise in childcare and housing costs have been dramatic in recent years,” she said.

The surveys will be used to gather information on these two crucial issues and guide Congress policy and lobbying. The surveys will also help demonstrate the negative effects that excessive living costs are having on workers.

Congress also believes the surveys will highlight the rising cost of housing for young workers and childcare costs for working parents, which is not evenly spread across the country.

A recent ESRI report into childcare found that rising costs throughout Ireland could discourage people from continuing to work unless more affordable childcare could be made available.

Fórsa has also been campaigning on the housing crisis and rising rental costs through the homeless and housing coalition, which held a demonstration in Dublin in early April  The union continues to lobby Government on these issues.    

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its report of the review of the SNA scheme at the end of May. Fórsa, which represents 8,500 SNAs nationwide, took part in a consultation as part of the review.

The NCSE is seeking an additional €40m investment into the service to implement the recommendations of the review.

The review describes the SNA scheme as “sensitive”, highlighting the high value placed on the service by schools, parents, children and the wider school community.

The scheme supports 34,670 students, facilitating mainstream school participation with 13,969 SNA posts, with one SNA for every 2.48 students accessing the service.

The review found that the service is particularly effective for younger children, with strong evidence of very strong loyalty and attachment between schools, students, parents and SNAs.

Gaps in the system

Among its findings, the NCSE review confirms that there are long waiting lists for assessments to access SNA support and inconsistency in the availability of therapy reports.

It points to the relatively low qualifications for entry to the SNA grade and - as Fórsa has consistently highlighted - that there’s no training provided, required or funded by the department. The NCSE says this is inadequate.

Stakeholder frustration

The review spoke to a broad range of stakeholders in the school community, and among the problems raised were the inappropriate duties assigned to SNAs and, problems associated with SNAs being given a teaching remit in some schools. Looking at similar schemes in other countries, all seem to be struggling with demand placed on the service.

The NCSE’s main piece of advice to the Minister for Education and Skills is that a new inclusion model is required.

Proposed model

The NCSE has recommended what it describes as a new ‘expert model’, with 230 experts across 10 NCSE regional teams, including teachers, special education needs organisers (SENOs), speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and behavioural practitioners.

Crucially, the new model does not require a diagnosis in order to access the service. The union has raised concerns about this change of approach, on the basis that an independent appeals system would need to be in place for families whose child might be refused the service under the new system.

The NCSE has proposed a new title for SNAs - inclusion support assistants – reflecting the role as it is envisaged under the new model, and based on the findings of the review. The recommended entry level requirement is at FETAC level 5, although the union says this should be set to at least FETAC level 6 to reflect the required skill set.

The new model places emphasis on the value of retaining and training people delivering the service, with tailored training based on needs. The review recommends the provision of therapy services (both in and outside of the school), training for inclusion support assistants, teachers and the wider school community, and an increase in educational psychology services (NEPS).

Other supports

The NCSE also recommends funding and training for nursing support and behavioural practitioners in schools, as well as to provide guidance on intimate care, medical interventions, challenging behaviours and restrictive practices.

72 Hours

The NCSE’s report includes a separate note on SNA terms and conditions of employment (page 59 of the report document), which includes “the perceived need for clarity regarding what constitutes a full working day/week for SNAs and what duties can attach to the 72 Croke Park hours.”

The reference here to the Croke Park agreement is erroneous, and Fórsa has communicated this to the NCSE. In the next edition of our Education news bulletin (19th June), Seán Carabini’s regular SNA contract issues column will take an in-depth look at the 72 hours, and outline the union’s approach to addressing its inconsistent management in schools.

Extra content on this story:

• Fórsa Q&A – NCSE Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme
• No excuse not to give equal public service job security to SNAs – Fórsa
• Audio: Deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan gives initial response to NCSE report (via Soundcloud)
• Download: The full NCSE report document

June Action Group

The Fórsa SNA branches established a June Action Group last year. The group has agreed a strategy for assisting members who work in post-primary schools that have issues arising in the month of June. SNAs with such queries should address them to their local reps in the first instance.

Fórsa has said proposals for a new model of support for children with special education needs - which would see the majority of support posts allocated ahead of time - means there is no excuse for the Government not to give SNAs equal job security to other public servants.

The union’s deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan was responding to the publication of a report by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) today, which made a series of recommendations about the service. The report was published last week.

Kevin said “There is absolutely no excuse for the department and the minister not to give SNAs equal job security to other public servants - particularly teachers. The proposal to allocate support posts ahead of time, with frontloaded supports, can be viewed as a positive development provided it's followed through.”

Kevin said the union is now calling on the Department of Education and Skills to immediately engage with the union on the issue of aligning SNA job security with that of other public service workers.

He said the union is also concerned about the move away from allocating the service to children based on a diagnosis. “There is a worry - from the point of view of parents - that if we have a change of the system, where it's not based on diagnosis, will every single child be able to vindicate the right to access mainstream education?

“We're calling for a locally-based and independent appeals mechanism that would be responsive. A system that could look at situations quickly and that their recommendations would be implemented,” he said.

The NCSE has found that the SNA scheme is greatly valued by parents, students and schools and works well in meeting the needs of students.

Kevin said proposals to engage HSE-staffed regional therapy teams, clinical nursing teams and an expansion to the National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS) were also very positive.

He said the union would need to consider the proposal to change the title of SNA to inclusion support assistant. “The job title of SNA is well established in the public consciousness and we wouldn't want anything, over time, to be seen to reduce the importance of providing more SNAs into our school system,” he said.

Extra content on this story:

• Fórsa Q&A – NCSE Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme
• No excuse not to give equal public service job security to SNAs – Fórsa
• Audio: Deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan gives initial response to NCSE report (via Soundcloud)
• Download: The full NCSE report document

June Action Group

The Fórsa SNA branches established a June Action Group last year. The group has agreed a strategy for assisting members who work in post-primary schools that have issues arising in the month of June. SNAs with such queries should address them to their local reps in the first instance.

Government plans to increase the State pension age to 68 will place Ireland’s retirement age among the highest in the world, according to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

The pension age, which was raised from 65 to 66 in 2014, is set to increase to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028.

ICTU social policy officer Laura Bambrick criticised the plans as the Government launched a public consultation on State pension reform. “While increases in the pension age are taking place in many countries, Ireland is currently on course to have the highest pension age in the OECD,” she said.

ICTU has called on the Government to abandon the plan. Its general secretary Patricia King said the Government’s pension blueprint took no account of people “who cannot work between retirement and qualifying for the State pension.”

Unions also criticised Government plans to change the way pension entitlements are assessed, saying it meant a worker would need 40 years’ social insurance contributions to qualify for a full State pension.

“A 40-year target fails to take into account the impact of legacy issues still evident in the contribution records of workers nearing pension age,” said Bambrick.

Fórsa is working with other unions on a joint submission to the official consultation. Last month, the union’s national conference backed calls for mandatory employment-based pension provision for all workers not currently covered by occupational pension schemes.

A Government paper called A Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018-2023 envisages the introduction of auto-enrolment – or compulsory pension contributions for all – from 2020. But Fórsa has criticised opt-out rules contained in the paper.

The union’s national secretary Billy Hannigan said Ireland was one of only two OECD countries with no mandatory earnings-related pillar to complement the State pension. He said employers should contribute twice the amount asked of workers.

The creation of Fórsa provides an opportunity to build on the work undertaken by the former CPSU, IMPACT and PSEU in the area of equality.

The new union represents a diverse workforce across many sectors within the public service, the semi-state sector, and elsewhere. Over 75% of our members are women with a keen interest in issues like closing the gender pay gap and improving the provision of flexible and family-friendly employment policies.

Fórsa members are working hard on disability rights, where our branches assist members with disabilities to maximise employment opportunities. Many members are also employed to provide services to disabled clients.

Fórsa plays a significant role within ICTU, where our representatives contribute to the work of Congress on women’s rights, disability rights, race equality, and other areas. 

The union’s national executive will shortly establish the first Fórsa Equality and Diversity Committee, and staff are now working towards developing a comprehensive equality strategy with the new committee.

We are drawing on the previous work of the former unions to set out the Fórsa equality perspectives on a range of issues. Key to this approach will be involving activists at branch and executive level in this work. This can be done by establishing networks to draw on experience of working and campaigning on specific issues, and to develop new approaches to delivering on equality issues for members in the workplace.

Early priorities will include a policy, based on international best practice, aimed at closing the gender pay gap, measures to ensure that the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is implemented correctly, sharing best practice on family-friendly employment policies, and the provision of regular advice on equality issues for branches and staff.

Fórsa expects all employers to adhere to employment equality legislation and we will continue to challenge them when they fall short. As an organisation we must also ensure that we apply the same legislation correctly, and that we continue promote equality for our staff and members within our own structures. Meeting this requirement will also form part of the new equality strategy.

The most effective way for a trade union to seek to progress equality of opportunity is to mainstream the issue, to make it central to everything we do including training, policies, procedures and collective agreements.

Whatever we do, we have to make sure that our actions are consistent with best practice and that we advance these crucial issues for the benefit of all our members.

Andy Pike is a Fórsa national secretary working in the civil service, who also holds joint responsibility for equality issues in the union.

The Labour-Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), a trade union-employer-Government social dialogue forum established in 2016, is to be expanded to deal with four pressing issues: housing, pensions, childcare and employment rights. Separate parallel sessions on these issues are to commence shortly.

Fórsa deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan represents the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the LEEF, which is the main forum for social dialogue in the post-partnership era.

Last month, Fórsa’s national conference passed a motion seeking an extension of the social dialogue process to encompass public policy issues that affect workers and business, but which cannot be resolved at workplace level.

Senior general secretary Shay Cody praised the LEEF, but said it must be developed to create a platform where issues that affect workers outside their immediate workplace can be discussed. “A place where we can engage with the whole of government – not just individual ministers or departments – on important topics that impact on livelihoods and living standards,” he said.

Employers’ body Ibec agrees on the need for a richer social dialogue, while the recent Gothenburg summit of EU leaders also highlighted the value of developing the process.

Fórsa member Cathriona McElhinney was the lucky winner of a two-night stay at the Delphi resort in Connemara, in a competition run by the union’s group discounts scheme.

The resort is located in the heart of the breathtaking Delphi valley, near Leenane. The 300-acre facility specialises in relaxation and outdoor adventure.

The Fórsa group scheme gives members the chance to receive discounts from hundreds of brands and retailers, including asos.com, Debenhams, Argos and the Abbey Theatre.

Discounts are available online and in-store in a wide range of categories, including travel, consumer tech, motoring, entertainment, eating out, fashion, health and grocery shopping.

The scheme has been negotiated by the union in conjunction with JLT Insurance Brokers Ireland.

To avail of the group discount scheme, simply register HERE.

Find out more about the Delphi resort HERE.

A 12-strong team of eight cyclists and four volunteers wants Fórsa members and branches to get behind them as they compete in the Race Around Ireland cycling event in memory of crewman Ciarán Smith of Rescue 116.

Winchman Smith was one of four crew members who tragically died when coastguard helicopter Rescue 116 was lost off the west coast in March 2017.

The cycling team is raising money for LauraLynn children’s hospice, and is calling on Fórsa members and branches to donate to the cause in memory of Winchman Smith.

Ciarán Murphy, a Fórsa representative in CHC Helicopters and one of the riders preparing for the cycle, said Smith had previously cycled to raise money for the charity.

“The team is made up of family, friends and colleagues of Ciarán’s, and we hope to raise money for a charity close to his heart,” he said.

Fórsa has also committed to support the team’s efforts. The four late crew members of Rescue 116 were Fórsa members, as are some of the cyclists preparing to take part in the event.

The 10th Race Around Ireland starts on Sunday 26th August, and the non-stop cycling event covers some 2,200km.

Fórsa branches and members who want to support the team can make donations to the following account:

IBAN: IE96AIBK93103926343062
BIC: AIBKIE2D.

Fórsa’s national executive has adopted new data protection policies to ensure that the union is compliant with the EU Data Protection Directive (GDPR), which came into effect on 25th May.

GDPR will have a profound impact how on the union handles personal data in its head office, regional offices, and in the voluntary branch structure.

Head office is in the process of implementing a comprehensive data protection project, which will involve the appointment of a senior administrative officer as data protection officer later this month. Data protection champions are also being appointed, with a least one based in each full-time office location.

Over 20 staff members from all the union’s offices attended an initial training programme last month.

All Fórsa offices are being sent practical advice to ensure GDPR compliance. The union will also advise every branch in relation to the processing and storage of data, the handling of data access requests, and procedures for dealing with any breach of data protection.

All these matters are governed by the new GDPR legislation, which introduces hefty fines for failure to comply.

The union has invested in a management tool to log all GDPR issues, and is intent on building a comprehensive list of the measures we’re adopting so that we can demonstrate that we are making ourselves GDPR compliant.

It’s important that all sections of the union engage with the roll-out of these measures to ensure that we adopt a common and comprehensive GDPR plan across the organisation.

Fórsa has a brand new team of elected officers since last month’s inaugural national conference. At the end of May the union’s president, vice presidents and treasurer were appointed following ballots of branches. They will hold the positions for two years.

Ann McGee of the Sligo PSO branch was elected president, overcoming two other candidates, while Kevin O’Malley of the Kerry Health and Local Government branch was deemed treasurer.

Maura Cahalan of the Limerick Health and Welfare branch became the union’s new senior vice-president, while the remaining vice-president positions were filled by Eugene Gargan of the Communications Companies branch and Michael Smyth of the School Completion Programme branch.

Under Fórsa rules, the union’s five divisions must all be represented on the five-person officer group, with the Local Government division and Municipal Employees’ divisions counting as one constituency for this purpose. Other national executive members are elected by each of the divisions at their biennial delegate conferences.