The Fórsa Insights series is proud to present a special performance of Lisa Walsh's groundbreaking play Love In The Wild, following its successful run in Dublin theatres last Spring. This exclusive performance by Anto Seery will take place at the union's headquarters in Dublin on Thursday 13th September at 6pm.

Love In The Wild is a new play written by Lisa Walsh, and made its premiere at the Axis theatre in Ballymun earlier this year. Lisa is a member of Fórsa and is a social worker with Tusla. She is currently working in child protection having previously worked as a medical social worker and an addiction worker.

Fórsa Insights is a specially curated series of talks and cultural events open to Fórsa members, ICTU affiliates and NGOs. The aim is to explore a wide range of issues including human rights, climate change, migration, homelessness and the experience of campaigning for workers rights across the globe. 

“The play is a one-man show about a man called Ger Duffy. He’s from Ballymun on Dublin’s north side. He’s on a methadone programme and he’s journeying through addiction and through big changes in his life. He has a strong connection to wildlife and nature, which helps explain how he sees the world, a way that’s quite different to how most people see it. The play is about love, it’s about judgment but hopefully it’s also about redemption. He’s not the stereotype of an addict, there are many layers to Ger and many layers to his story.” - playwright Lisa Walsh.

This exclusive performance of Lisa Walsh's critically acclaimed play is free to Fórsa members. To book your seat, send an email to Fórsa Insights.

Visit loveinthewild.ie 

Watch the Love In The Wild trailer here:

Fórsa has renewed its support for the Sláintecare reform programme following the release of the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy, which details how the government intends to deliver reforms over a ten year period.

The union is in favour of the move towards a universally accessible single-tier health system, and an enhanced community care approach designed to take pressure off acute care facilities.

Head of Fórsa’s Health division Éamonn Donnelly said the publication of the strategy is a welcome development and an important step towards the implementation of the reforms recommended in the Sláintecare report. He said a recruitment drive will be required to fulfil the aims of the strategy.

“The recruitment of health and social care professionals, admin and support staff will be crucial to the successful implementation of reforms,” he said.

Éamonn also warned there are a number of issues which need to be addressed including realigning current teaching models with regional structures, reform of the GP service and contracts, and the role of private health insurance providers.

He said funding concerns, which were not addressed in the implementation strategy, and the issue of private practice in public hospitals are also stumbling blocks.

Éamonn added that the Minister for health Simon Harris wrote to Fórsa seeking support for the reform strategy and the work of the Sláintecare Program Office, and also called on other stakeholders in the Irish healthcare system to get behind the strategy.

Fórsa suspended its instruction to members last month to cease cooperation with reporting arrangements in interim CHO governance structures.

This followed agreement by the HSE to resume discussions over interim community healthcare organisation (CHO) governance structures at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), in a process that commenced on 30th August and which is set to intensify next Tuesday (11th September).

Fórsa’s decision in July, to withdraw cooperation from interim arrangements, was provoked when health employers’ collapsed discussions on the roll-out of the CHO programme in advance of the full implementation of the ten-year Sláintecare reform programme.

Head of Forsa’s Health division Eamonn Donnelly said “The effect of this action over three weeks was widespread. The resumption of talks represented enough progress to resume cooperation with interim measures while our discussions play out.

“This wouldn't have been possible without the determination shown by Fórsa members after the union issued its instruction in July. As a direct result the health sector employers agreed to participate in discussions at the WRC on the implementation of the Community Health Network model.

“The employers must show that they’re serious about developing high quality community health services, with the structures necessary to make the new system a success. This means placing the health and social care professions at the centre of service planning and delivery, with admin staff as a vital cog in the support structures,” he said.

Eamonn said next Tuesday’s discussions will focus on grades groups and categories represented by Fórsa within the CHO model.

Fórsa will ballot members in five Section 39 employments following the collapse of talks on pay restoration.

The union’s Health Executive this week gave sanction for a ballot for industrial action to take place in five employments.

These are Enable Ireland, Child Vision, Moorehaven Centre, Delta Services and Ability West. Fórsa official Ian McDonnell explained that the five were selected as they are larger employers with the capacity, and adequate funding streams, to deliver pay restoration.

Ian said: “These are workers who were treated as public servants for the purpose of a pay cut, but are denied the pay restoration measures that we’ve secured for public servants. We’ve said consistently that it may require an industrial action in order to achieve what we’re looking for.

“In that instance, our approach is to target the more robustly funded agencies, that’s why these five employments have been chosen,” he said.

The HSE’s review of pay in in a group of 50 Section 39 agencies was published in May. The review found that average pay for Section 39 staff was cut by 4.6% after the economic crash.

Fórsa is working with officials in Siptu and Unite on a coordinated approach to achieving pay restoration in the sector.

The ballots are set to commence next week.

Fórsa trade union is to study the first Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) report into public service recruitment and retention issues, which was published on Tuesday (4th September).

The latest report looks into nursing, medical consultants, and non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs). Future reports will study recruitment and retention issues for other public service grades identified by the PSPC in its initial (2017) report.

The reports are being produced to fulfil a commitment in the public service pay deal – the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) – which commits the pay commission to analyse the causes of recruitment and retention difficulties in specific areas of the public sector. The agreement also requires the Commission to recommend options to deal with these problems.

The Government approved the terms of reference for this examination in October 2017, after which the PSPC invited submissions from unions representing grades identified in its original report.

Fórsa made written submissions on behalf of named grades in the health sector and the civil service, which will be the subject of future pay commission reports. The union put forward evidence to show that the civil service is struggling to recruit staff in many areas because salaries are not keeping pace with those available in comparable private sector jobs. It made similar arguments in respect of various health and social care professions.

The full report is available here.

A ‘single scheme estimator tool,’ which indicates the retirement benefits that public servants hired after 1st January 2013 can expect, is now available. The tool covers standard-grade members of the single public service pension scheme who are currently employed in a pensionable capacity in the Irish public service.

Most standard grades can use the tool if they are single pension scheme members, but others – including Garda, prison officers and members of the defence forces – can’t.

Fórsa official Billy Hannigan welcomed the introduction of single scheme estimator tool, saying the union had been calling for it for some time.

He added that there was a need for greater clarification from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) on the finalisation of a scheme to enable members to transfer or purchase benefits. The union is in ongoing contact with DPER on the issue.

Billy also said the union was seeking an assurance that workers will get annual benefit statements.

The single scheme estimator tool is available here, and further information is available here.

Talks will commence next Thursday (13th September) at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to explore changes to the Hospital Pharmacy service.

Fórsa official Catherine Keogh said the discussions will look at the value of posts in a proposed new hospital structure, and explore the implementation of a number of reports on the service.

Catherine said: “The McGloughlin Report in 2011 made a series of recommendations on hospital restructuring, which had implications for the hospital pharmacy service.

“Progress on this was delayed by the economic crisis and the consequent moratorium in public service recruitment. More recently a working group was established and a composite report was accepted by both unions and the HSE.

“The talks at the WRC next week will be to explore the implementation of the report, with particular emphasis on the value of posts within a new structure,” she said.

Catherine commended the work of the union’s Hospital Pharmacists Vocational Group on the issue. “A huge amount of work was required to get us to this stage, including the recommencement of supplying pharmacy data to the HSE.

“Our members are very clear that while we are expecting significant progress, whatever emerges from these talks must work, both for our members and service users,” she said.

Trade unions, political parties, students’ unions, housing agencies & community and campaign groups have joined forces to urge action on the housing crisis. The ‘Raise the Roof’ initiative brings together a wide range of key civil society bodies to demand radical new action on the housing crisis, including support for a rally at Leinster House on Wednesday 3rd October in advance of the budget.

The new initiative was launched today (Thursday 6th September) in Dublin.

Today's launch included representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the National Homeless & Housing Coalition, the Union of Students in Ireland, the National Women’s Council and from the housing and homeless NGO sector.

Participating groups have called for support for the lunchtime rally outside Leinster House on Wednesday 3rd October, which has been organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

The rally has been called in support of an opposition party motion on housing that is scheduled to be debated in the Dáil that day.

The motion calls for radical new action on the housing crisis and is supported by Sinn Fèin, People Before Profit, the Labour Party, Solidarity, the Social Democrats and the Green Party, with others expected to add their support.

Fórsa’s newly formed youth network will host an event, Youthquake, on 20th September in Wynn’s Hotel in Dublin.

The secretary of Fórsa’s youth network, Yvette Kelly, said the aim of the event is to trigger a youthquake in the trade union movement, by engaging younger members, encouraging them play an active role in tackling issues that affect them.

While the event will focus on the youth movement, all members are welcome to attend.

The event will include a variety of speakers to discuss issues pertinent to younger workers. Precarious work, pay inequality and the housing crises are just some of the topics up for discussion.

Yvette Kelly said there is a need now for more active engagement: “There has been a youthquake across Irish society expressed in social movements. We saw this when there was active youth participation in the marriage equality referendum. A similar movement and youth engagement in unions is pivotal for a stronger union and for an equal future for our members.”

For more information on the event, and to keep up to date with the youth network click here.

Download poster for event here.

Following on from the success of the Fórsa charity cycle in May, which raised over €24,000 for four mental health charities, the initial presentation of donations took place place in August.

Fórsa officials Dessie Robinson and Éamonn Donnelly made a presentation to Caroline McGuigan from (SOS) Suicide or Survive in Dublin. The second presentation was made to Limerick Suicide Watch at Fórsa’s Limerick office.  

The cyclists travelled from Limerick to Killarney on the opening day of Fórsa's national conference in May. Eamonn and Dessie have led the cycling event to national conference since IMPACT's national conference in 2008, raising funds for a number of charities

Fórsa has signed an agreement with Ryanair making the union the sole negotiating union for directly employed Ryanair cabin crew in Ireland.

The agreement was signed at the end of August by Fórsa officials, cabin crew representatives and Ryanair management.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Ashley Connolly said the agreement marked a new, and very significant, milestone in the development of collective bargaining at the airline.

Ashley said: “This is a very positive development and we’re proud to be in a position now to represent Ryanair cabin crew. We’ve been working with our cabin crew members towards securing this agreement.

“Together we look forward to growing our membership and securing improvements in terms and conditions as the negotiating union for Ryanair cabin crew,” she said.

Ashley confirmed the union will also seek engagement with cabin crew agencies contracted to the airline.

Speaking to Newstalk FM last week, Ashley said the union wouldn't be intimidated by Ryanair's approach to industrial relations: "I think that Fórsa has proven itself over the years to be equally as tough when required and when needed. It is important that, for the first time in Ryanair, cabin crew members have a voice. They will be to the forefront of any discussions I have and they will be present at every meeting that I carry out with the company," she said.

As Fórsa’s social media presence continues to grow we’ve embraced the visual playground of Instagram.

Instagram has become increasingly popular, communicating to audiences using a creative combination of pictures, videos and text, and this year eclipsed Twitter in the rankings of social media popularity.

While its parent company (Facebook) continues to dominate, recent controversies have led to a migration of younger audiences away from the blue giant.

We hope to reach a new and wider audience on Instagram, and that our presence there will be attractive to Fórsa members looking to get involved and engage with the union.

To follow the Fórsa Instagram story, and keep up to date with all the latest union news and updates, click

Fórsa is inviting eligible members and activists to apply to its third level grant support scheme, which gives limited financial assistance to those undertaking certified educational courses – up to third level – that will assist them in carrying out their union representative role.

The scheme does not cover courses designed to enhance professional or career development unless they also improve a member’s ability to act as a Fórsa rep.

Applicants, who must be fully paid-up Fórsa members, can only apply by completing the approved application form, and they must also have the support of their own Fórsa branch.

The closing date for applications is Friday 28th September 2018.

Full details of the application requirements and available support are available here.

The approved application form is available here.

Fórsa's reports on the union's lobbying activities for the period 1st May to 31st August 2018, is due for submission on the 21st September. Union officials are currently finalising their submissions under the requirements of the legislation.

Fórsa is registered as a lobbying organisation and is required to report any lobbying activity undertaken by full time officials, or when the union instructs members/branches to lobby in ‘grassroots’ campaigns.

Fórsa member activists are not required to report lobbying activity, even if it is carried out on the union’s behalf. The responsibility to report any activity of this kind rests with the relevant official.

We will publish the latest submissions in the members' news bulletins later in September.

For more see Fórsa's previous reports at Lobbying.ie

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has produced a quick guide to the Government’s proposed changes to the old-age contributory pension scheme. The factsheet is available to download here. 

The Congress submission on reform of the state pension is also available here.