Fórsa’s members’ survey has revealed very strong support for the union to pursue inflation-matching pay increases, including in the next round of public service pay talks.

The survey, which drew completed responses from more than 20,000 members nationwide, was commissioned by Fórsa and conducted by Amarach research in the second half of April.

More than 80% of respondents said it was ‘very important’ that that pay negotiations secure increases that match inflation, and this response was especially high (90%) among younger workers.

The survey found a clear majority of respondents are in favour of Fórsa organising a ballot for industrial action if negotiated increases are below the rate of inflation, with only 5% opposed, while the remainder said they would consider their support for an industrial action ballot when details of any pay offer are known.

The union said that if such a ballot became necessary support would be likely to increase, and noted a higher level of support for an industrial action ballot among younger Fórsa members.

The survey gathered data on the views of Fórsa members in relation to pay, incomes, cost-of-living and a range of political issues.

Over 90% of members said it’s important that future pay negotiations cover any shortfall experienced because of the withdrawal of government cost-of-living supports, such as energy credits. More than two thirds of those respondents described this outcome as ‘very important’.

The current public service pay agreement, Building Momentum, expires at the end of 2023. Talks on a successor agreement are expected to take place in the coming months.

Responding to the survey results Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan, who chairs the ICTU’s Public Services Committee, described the rate of response to the survey as “phenomenal”, and said its findings on pay and cost-of-living issues provided a sharp illustration of the main concerns of all households. 

He commented: “There can be no doubt that the cost-of-living must continue to be the main focus for unions in pay talks this year.

“As and when public service talks get underway, unions will concentrate on a number of key cost-of-living issues, including the need to make good the shortfall in pay against inflation during the remaining term of the current pay agreement, which expires in December.

“We will also factor in the effect of any cessation of Government cost-of-living measures and supports - which this survey reveals as a core issue - in addition to anticipating cost-of-living projections over the period of any proposed agreement to emerge from talks with Government,” he said.

Kevin added: “The last few months have been very challenging for working people with food inflation, in particular, remaining stubbornly high. Unions are absolutely clear that last year’s Building Momentum review didn't fully compensate for the rate of inflation.

“When workers were weighing up the terms of that deal, they were also paying close attention to the Government’s intentions to introduce various measures, including budgetary tax changes.

“We’ve already made it clear to government and employers, if these supports are withdrawn and if prices remain elevated - as they surely will - the shortfall will have to be made good in wage bargaining across the economy,” he said.

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Fórsa’s members working in local authorities have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, up to and including strike action.

Fórsa said the union is in dispute with local authority management due to its refusal to establish a job evaluation scheme for local authority staff.

The union represents more than 10,000 local government and services workers including clerical, administrative, management, technical and professional staff.

Job evaluation, which has been established in the health and higher education sectors, is a process for measuring the relative worth of posts in an organisation based on the work a post-holder is doing or is expected to do.

Fórsa said many local authority workers continue to take responsibility for additional duties and responsibilities assigned to them during the economic crisis, when 10,000 jobs were lost from the sector.

Addressing delegates at Fórsa’s Local Government and Local Services biennial conference last week, national secretary Richy Carrothers said: “Fórsa balloted members working in local authorities because the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is refusing to negotiate on this longstanding issue.

“The LGMA’s refusal to discuss the issue at the WRC (Workplace Relations Commission), where we convened last January, left members with no choice but to express their determination through this ballot for industrial action,” he said.

He announced to delegates that turnout for the ballot was 58%, with just over 85% voting in favour of taking industrial action, up to and including strike action.

He added: “Local authority workers deserve a fair, open, and transparent system of measurement to ensure the work they undertake is appropriate to the grade in which they’re employed.

“We have a strong mandate now from our members, and this dispute isn’t going to go away by ignoring it, which is exactly what the LGMA has attempted to do.

“Job evaluation provides an agreed analytical system to ensure our members are getting the pay they deserve for the job they do. Fórsa’s efforts to secure a job evaluation scheme is a crucial part of our continuing campaign to ensure local authority pay is, above all else, fair.

“The LGMA needs to immediately return to due process under the auspices of the WRC. A small window of opportunity exists right now to resolve the dispute by engaging in meaningful negotiations and to avoid escalation of this dispute,” he said.

Richy added: “If the LGMA fails to grasp the opportunity now, a summer of disruption is inevitable.

“Nobody wants that. Our members know this is the action of last resort, but they’ve expressed their determination to do what’s necessary to secure a meaningful negotiation process and a fair outcome.

“Fórsa representatives remain available for meaningful and solution-focused engagement.

“We won’t waste this huge industrial mandate from our members. No resolution can be achieved in this dispute unless there is an agreement with Fórsa on the introduction of an acceptable job evaluation scheme for local authority staff,” he said.

Richy told delegates at the union conference that employers are now “on notice” that the union is finalising the timing and exact nature of any industrial action.

Fórsa delegates Cliadhna Dineen spoke to Cork’s Red fm about why members backed the industrial action ballot, listen back HERE 

For more on job evaluation, check our Fórsa’s frequently asked questions document HERE.

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Trade unions and Councillors from Dublin City Council called for the remunicipalisation of waste services at a cross party briefing held in Leinster House on Wednesday 10^th May.

The event was hosted by the More Power to You campaign, a trade union coalition campaigning for enhanced local government services in Ireland.

At the meeting the coalition outlined how the remunicipalisation of waste services that involves the transfer of responsibilities from private waste management companies back to local authorities is a key priority for the trade union movement. 

The briefing outlined the current challenges of outsourcing in general, with a specific focus on the experience of Dublin City Council’s remunicipalisation subcommittee. The committee was established after a 2019 motion called for the Dublin City Council to re-enter the waste market following a 2012 vote to privatise the service.

The call follows several similar re-municipalisation projects taking place across Europe including in the UK, Spain, and Germany.

Speaking at the of the briefing, Fórsa National Secretary Richy Carrothers commented that the delivery of waste management services was like the “wild west”.

He said: “The privatisation agenda has played far too great a role in the provision of public services for too long. Unions, through the More Power to You campaign, are pushing against that agenda, the reality is local authority public services should be delivered by public sector workers.

"Almost 1 in 4 households in the state currently have no domestic waste collection service while the Government has adopted an exclusively market approach to domestic waste collection, with side-by-side competition within a single local authority area.

"In all other European cities, there is a tender for a single provider, within each local authority area, who must meet strict criteria in relation to the quality of customer service, labour contracts and environmental controls.

"The current structure of the domestic waste sector is bad for the citizen, bad for the workers in the sector and bad for the environment and we need change. It’s time to end the profiteering feeding frenzy on the delivery of waste services," he said.

Cllr Daithi Doolan, who chaired the DCC group on remunicipalisation said: “This is a significant step in our campaign. Our coalition of political parties and trade unions are bringing the demand to the Dáil and Seanad. Members of the Oireachtas will be left in no doubt what needs to be done to bring the bin collection back into public ownership, where it belongs.”

Kevin Donoghue, Campaign Coordinator of the More Power to You campaign welcomed the level of advanced interest and enthusiasm from representatives in Leinster House.  He said: “We have a clear path to remunicipalisation of waste services and that path relies heavily on leadership from our TDs and Senators. I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

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Delegates at Fórsa’s Local Government and Local Services conference last week unanimously backed a motion supporting union policies to stand in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers.

Speaking to the motion put forward by the union’s Local Government executive, Fórsa member Gerry O’Quigley said the union actively opposes protests designed to intimidate people living in direct provision and refugee centres.

Gerry, a member at Dun Laoighre/Rathdown County Council, said he was proud to see the union’s strong presence at February’s anti-racism rally in Dublin, and that the union’s Mayo branch had voiced its opposition to anti-immigration motions at Mayo County Council last week

He added: “As trade unionists, we need to be firm in our opposition to populist opportunism. If the far-right ratchet up the welfare-chauvinist line and attempt to divide sections of the workforce by pitting a ‘deserving’ native workforce against a ‘feckless’ foreign one, the union will be mobilising again and again.”

Fórsa national secretary Richy Carrothers added: “Screaming at five-year-olds outside direct provision centres cannot be tolerated. Hate speech is not free speech. The vast majority of people do not subscribe to the racist ideology behind such protests.

“Far-right actors are using the housing crisis and cost-of-living to instil fear and division.

“The housing crisis is multi-generational and systemic. It is not the fault of refugees or asylum seekers.

“Our union supports efforts for refugees to live with dignity, in peace, and free from harassment and intimidation.

“The trade union movement must continue to stand in solidarity with those who have escaped conflict, oppression, climate and economic catastrophe to come to Ireland in search of safety and a better life,” he said.

Delegates backed a conference motion calling on the union’s executive to work with the union’s nationwide branch network to promote positive relations between communities and people living in direct provision and asylum centres, and to recommend proactive solidarity measures to the union’s branch network.

The new union policy also calls for engagement with the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage to ensure that local authorities are promoting an “inclusive and harmonious” approach to community integration with refugees and asylum seekers.

Richy added: “By supporting these policies we stand in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers and against the right-wing reactionary forces whipping up hysteria and hatred.”

Related news:

Trade Union slams Mayo councillors' motion as 'populist stunt' (Connaught Tribune)

Delegates at Fórsa trade union’s conference in Cork last week backed an emergency motion calling for improved protections for library staff against the growing threat of harassment and intimidation by anti-LGBTQ+ protesters.

In recent months a number of libraries across the country have been subject to small groups of protestors seeking the removal of books with LGBTQ+ content.

Fórsa members supported the motion which recommits union efforts to stand in support and solidarity with LGBTQ+ people, and to oppose and campaign against the rise of homophobia and transphobia.

The union is to seek that local authorities undertake an immediate health and safe risk assessment of public libraries, and the threat posed by such protesters at libraries.

Fórsa is also to engage with An Garda Síochána to highlight any threat and agree emergency measures to protect staff, users, public buildings, books and property.

Fórsa said local authorities shouldn’t respond to pressure by protesters to remove books containing LGBTQ+ content.       

Fórsa delegates backed the motion in support of the union’s librarian members, including county Chair of the Cork Health and Local Government division Paula Courtney, who brought the motion to conference.

Speaking to RedFM News Paula said staff find it particularly distressing to be filmed by the protestors.

Fórsa said libraries represent community hubs for social integration, serving as centres of cultural, educational, and academic learning, and must be places free from harassment and intimidation for both staff and library users.

Fórsa’s campaigning summer series is set to return on the 26^th and 27^th June in The Hodson Bay hotel, Athlone. The two-day event will provide new and developing Fórsa activists with the training to engage in key campaigning activity.

Fórsa’s campaigning director Kevin Donoghue said the school is an important date in the union’s campaigning calendar and encouraged all members to get involved.

“This event is open to all Fórsa members especially anyone who’s involved in campaigns or has an interest in developing campaign experience. You don’t need previous experience to attend this event,” he said.

Spaces for the summer school are limited and members can register their interest HERE. 

While this event is open to all, members should discuss attendance with their branch prior to applying.

Further information on the full programme of activities will issue shortly, but if you have any questions about the application process, please contact Kevin Donoghue or Grace Williams directly at summerseries@forsa.ie.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Four Day Week Ireland, in conjunction with 4 Day Week Global have issued the call for participants in the next phase of the four-day-week pilot programme.

The Fórsa backed initiative will examine the financial, social, and environmental impact that a four-day working week would have on businesses and employees in Ireland. This will be the second pilot of its kind in Ireland, and one of many globally.

The four-day-week trial is based on a 100-80-100 model where workers get 100% of their pay, for 80% of the time, in exchange for a commitment to delivering 100% of the output.

Last year, twelve Irish companies completed the programme with none returning to five days post-trial. Elsewhere, results from the UK pilot with over 60 companies and almost 3,500 workers found a remarkable increase in worker wellbeing, with 71% of participants feeling less burned out and 39% less stressed while on a four-day week. That same cohort also enjoyed impressive business outcomes, with a 57% reduction in staff turnover and a 65% reduction in sick days.

Participants in this second phase will undertake a training programme to re-evaluate how they work, ensuring maximum efficiency before embarking on the six-month trial. Organisations of all sizes from every sector are encouraged to join, where their experience will be tracked by international experts.

Last week the Local Government and Local Services Division Conference passed a motion supporting trials for a reduced working week in local authorities without a corresponding loss of pay.

Chair of Four Day Week Ireland and Fórsa’s Director of Campaigns, Kevin Donoghue welcomed the motion passed at conference saying:

“It’s great to see this motion being discussed at conference. Global trials and the pilot programme in Ireland have already concluded that there are significant benefits to reducing the working week,

The advancements in technology witnessed in recent decades means we can achieve the same level of output in a shorter timeframe, so we must ensure the benefits of this fourth industrial revolution are shared with workers. A four-day week is more than possible and long overdue.”

Kevin said that the programme hopes to see further participants in the pilot in the coming months, who will re-evaluate how they work, and reap the benefits of the new ways of work.

More information on the Four Day Week Ireland campaign can be found here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The next instalment of the Fórsa Skills Academy ‘Lunch and Learn’ series will take place on Friday 26th May from 1pm – 2pm, focusing on how to speak to workers about the union.

Fórsa’s Director of Strategic Organising, Orlagh Fawl, will host the hour-long virtual session, providing members with knowledge and key information to support them in their union work.

Fórsa’s Strategic Organising Department is tasked with building union power and strategies across the unions network. Among other objectives, the work of this Department focuses on the empowerment of union members and activists in finding their voice and effectively executing change in their workplaces.

In conjunction with the Skills Academy, this session will focus on “Talking about YOUR union – the why, the how and the when”, and will facilitate and encourage attendees on further appreciating the importance of engaging with co- workers on workplace topics that are important to them, the benefits of being a member of a trade union and the role of the union in effecting change in their workplaces.

Whilst these sessions are predominantly for information, there will be opportunities for participants to ask questions via the chat function.

The ‘Lunch and Learn’ series aims to give members the knowledge to support them as a union member or representative whilst supplementing the broad range of training programmes currently being offered by Skills Academy.

The virtual sessions will take place on the last Friday of very month from 1pm – 2pm, exploring different topics.

Members interested in attending should register their interest HERE.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

KennCo Insurance offer Fórsa members a special discount on their travel insurance.

Our low cost Annual Multi-Trip cover costs just €64.90 (effective 1/1/23) for Fórsa members which includes cover for your spouse/partner and dependent children.*

This Fórsa member offer covers individuals, couples and families with Travel Insurance to protect your holiday.

*Dependent children up to and including 17 years old only or if still in full time education up to and including 22 years old. Applies to individuals 70 years and under only. You must be living with your partner for at least 6 months. Terms and conditions will apply.

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• Annual Multi-trip cover
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• 365-day, 24 hour emergency medical assistance service during your insured trip
• Cancellation & Curtailment – up to €6,000
• Lost Baggage – up to €3,000
• Medical & Emergency Expenses – up to €10,000,000
• Personal Accident – up €30,000
• Travel Delay and Disruption – up to €6,000
• Public Liability – up to €2,500,0000
• Winter Sports & Scuba Diving Included
• Cruise cover up to €300

Terms, conditions and excesses will apply.

Get more information and a secure quote HERE. 

KennCo Underwriting Ltd T/A KennCo Insurance is regulated by The Central Bank of Ireland.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan has said newly proposed economic rules - published at the end of April by the European Commission - risk the return of austerity at a time when most EU states are still recovering from a decade lost to EU-led austerity.

Kevin, who is also the president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), said the new proposals betray a failure of the European Commission to learn from its own mistakes.

Current rules limit member state budget deficits to 3% of GDP, and debt to 60% of GDP. However, these have been suspended since 2020 in response to the economic consequences of the pandemic. The suspension is to end in 2024.

Kevin said: “These new proposals would mean that, from next year, any member state with a deficit above 3% will have to make a minimum fiscal adjustment of 0.5% of GDP per year.

“There are currently 10 member states with a deficit above 3%. It means those states will have to begin making choices about spending cuts next year. This, in turn, risks opening the way back to austerity.

“The same rules will also mean that member states cannot meet the EU’s own targets for investment in the green and digital economy. We can ill-afford a failure to meet the climate challenge, and these proposals risk doing exactly that.

“We need to face the fact that most EU states, including Ireland, are still dealing with the legacy issues of the decade lots to austerity in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis.

“The housing crisis is driving yet another generation of young Irish workers to pack their bags for better prospects outside the EU. This is a real legacy issue of the decade we lost to austerity, and is further contributing to a growing labour shortage in a number of key sectors.

“The Irish Government is literally awash with huge revenues, which are expected to grow. The Government needs to spend this money wisely, and that means investment.

“What’s needed at EU level is a ‘golden rule of public investment’, ensuring an adequate level of current spending, which would ensure that net public investment is excluded from balanced budget rules.

“By continuing to protect public investment – at a time when it’s so urgently needed - we can guard against the blood-letting approach of austerity, the legacy of which we are still tackling, despite the robust fortunes of the Irish economy.

“Equally, if over-restrictive EU rules prevent Irish governments from taking necessary action in the interests of the Irish people, it will jeopardise popular support for the entire European project. We’ve seen how damaging that can be close up.

“The Commission must learn from its past mistakes and amend these proposals before 2024,” he said.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

A new book published by Mercier press, created by the group of protesters who have been picketing the Russian embassy since February 2022, was launched last week in Dublin.

The book - We Stand with Ukraine – An anthology of Poetry, Prose and Protest – was officially launched at an event in Hodges Figgis bookshop. The book is an anthology of photographs, prose and verse written by the protesters, which includes retired public service workers, including former members of IMPACT and Fórsa.

The book was launched by playwright and author Peter Sheridan, who commended the members of the protest group for “their sterling commitment and support for Ukraine and its people.” Sheridan noted, in particular, the need for all members of society “to defend democracy and democratic values and to forge a common humanity.”

The launch was addressed by Yuriy Rubashov, counsellor with the Ukrainian embassy, on behalf of the Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland. Mr Rubashov highlighted the “honesty and genuineness” of the anthology, which he said demonstrated “great empathy and understanding for the struggles facing Ukraine.” He thanked the protesting group for all their efforts which were very much appreciated within the Ukrainian community in Ireland.

Retired Fórsa member John Farrelly spoke on behalf of the protesting group and highlighted its’ diverse, open and non-hierarchical nature: “While members might have differing views on a whole range of issues, all members share a common opposition to the criminal and illegal invasion of Ukraine by Putin and his regime,” he said.

John also invited those guests attending the launch to come and spend some time on the picket outside the Russian embassy. The launch was also treated to readings from the anthology by members of the protesting group, and to songs from Yulia Shynkarenko.

We Stand with Ukraine is available through Mercier Press and in all good bookshops. All royalties from sales go to the NGO Ukrainian Action.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has urged politicians across all parties to prioritise the implementation of auto-enrolment legislation, following the publication of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection's pre-legislative review of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill.

Fórsa and other unions have repeatedly called for the quick implementation of longstanding plans for auto-enrolment as most people who do not have a pension have indicated that the State pension would be their main source of income on retirement.

Auto-enrolment aims to increase the number of people who have occupational pensions by making it compulsory to join a scheme based on contributions from the worker, the State and the employer.

The Pensions Authority's activity figures for 2022 found a decline in the number of workers covered by private sector occupational pensions, despite the growing workforce.

Two-thirds of current private sector workers do not have a company pension and could experience a significant decrease in their standard of living during retirement as the State Pension is paid at a fixed rate of €253.30 per week.

General Secretary of ICTU Owen Reidy stressed the urgency of introducing a mandatory pay-related pension savings scheme that would improve income adequacy in retirement.

“The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has long pointed out that our voluntary approach to occupational pensions is not working and called for concrete action to address the alarmingly low pensions coverage,” he said.

He urged politicians to work together to get the legislation passed.

“Politicians have been talking about introducing a mandatory pay-related pensions saving scheme longer than they have been talking about increasing the pension age. Now that we are finally within touching distance of making income adequacy in retirement a reality for workers, it is imperative that all politicians work together to get the legislation passed. We cannot allow this Bill to fall if an election is called in 2024,” he said.

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The European Parliament has formally adopted the Pay Transparency Directive. The formal adoption of the directive took place last month, and its provisions are likely to enter into force in most EU member states in 2026.

Under the directive EU companies will be required to share information about how much they pay women and men for work of equal value, and to take action if their gender pay gap exceeds 5%.

Prior to the parliament’s formal adoption of the directive, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) had welcomed the suggestion - by the Minister for Equality’s office - that the scope of the European Directive on pay transparency be broadened in Ireland to ensure more employers and their workers are affected by its provisions.

These include a requirement to publish pay ranges for vacant positions, provide details of existing rates for specific roles and actively engage with workers or their representatives to address high gender pay gaps.

Commenting on the formal adoption by the EU parliament, Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “The formal approval for the directive by EU ministers is welcome as it does contain a number of important features to make significant improvements to pay equality measures.

“It goes further than the Irish gender pay gap reporting legislation, as it includes protection of trade union rights for women workers, ensuring they can bargain collectively for equal pay.

“It puts more wage bargaining power in the hands of workers when they are negotiating salary with a new employer. It helps tip the scales a little more for workers, which is to be welcomed,” he said.

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A recent report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has found that many Irish workers are lacking in the appropriate skills needed to succeed in their jobs and are unprepared for changes in the rapidly evolving world of work.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, presented the findings on Wednesday in light of the "Year of Skills", an EU initiative aimed at promoting upskilling and reskilling for workers.

The Government commissioned report highlighted that workplaces in Ireland could be better designed to stimulate the use of workers’ skills through, for example, greater focus on high-performance work practices such as work flexibility and teamwork which is strongly associated with higher levels of productivity and better business performance.

While the share of adults with a college degree in Ireland is well above average, the OECD Ireland Skills Strategy Report found that participation in lifelong learning to facilitate essential upskilling falls far behind the top EU performers.

The report also highlights the critical challenges facing Ireland's skills ecosystem and the need for a significant leap forward to address these issues. It found that employers have grave concerns about skills and shortages in areas such as digital, STEM, and management, and highlighted that workers with low levels of education, women, and people with disabilities should have their skills better utilised in the labour market.

The report suggests that Irish workplaces could be better structured to stimulate the use of workers' skills and calls for stronger management capability among Ireland's SMEs. The OECD highlights the need for a joined-up, all-of-Government approach to help govern Ireland's complex skills system.

Speaking on the publication, Fórsa General Secretary Kevin Callinan said that the report reinforced the unions position on the future of work.

“We have one of the most educated workforces in Europe, but the report indicates an out-dated model of work in place across the country. There are huge opportunities for employers to build a better work model for its employees. The four-day-week is a proven example of how you can utilise a staff’s skillset to the full while lowering stress and improving wellbeing. It is down to Government to engage with unions, employers, and employees to ensure our workforce are not left behind by the rest of Europe,” he said.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.