Today is the tenth day of industrial action by Fórsa members working across the civil and public services. As planning for the national strike next Wednesday gathers pace, we want to say well done to each one of you for standing together for a better deal.
Ahead of the weekend, we’re sharing four videos of members from across the union, talking about why they’re taking industrial action in their own words.
From rising living costs and wages struggling to keep pace, to the increasing demands of delivering essential public services, hear Fiona, Ben, Karen and Joey share their experiences of why they believe a better deal on pay is long overdue - and why they are now taking industrial action to secure it.
“We’re the backbone of this country” | Fiona
For civil servant Fiona, public servants are delivering essential services every day while increasingly feeling undervalued and overlooked.
“We are the backbone of this country. Civil servants, nurses, teachers, guards. We keep the country running,” she says.
She points particularly to Fórsa members working in Intreo offices, who provide vital support to people experiencing hardship.
“They're on the frontline dealing with the most vulnerable in society,” she says.
For Fiona, this is about more than pay. It is about recognising the people whose work holds public services together and ensuring they receive the respect and working conditions they deserve.
“We're being hit on all sides” | Ben
Ben, from the Higher Education branch, says public service workers are facing mounting financial pressure as the cost of everyday essentials continues to rise, leaving many struggling to make ends meet despite working full-time.
“We can't keep up with the cost of living. I mean, we're being hit on all sides,” he says.
“Members are saying to me that it's the cost of everything, fuel, food, you know, childcare, making sure that their children can go to school, all of those elements, everything has exploded.”
For Ben, the consequences go beyond individual household budgets. He warns that Ireland is creating a situation where having a full-time job is no longer enough to guarantee a decent standard of living. “We're developing a class of people in this country now where we have working poor people.”
Watch: “We're Being Hit on All Sides” | Ben on the Rising Cost of Living
“Without us the place will stall” | Karen
Karen, who works in University Hospital Kerry, says public service workers are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of everyday essentials, with grocery bills, fuel prices and household expenses putting increasing pressure on family budgets.
"It's down to the basics. It's groceries,” she says, describing how even an ordinary trip to the supermarket has become noticeably more expensive.
“You go into the shop now. Stuff doesn't go up by a couple of cents. It's a couple of euro.”
Her message is straightforward: public servants need a pay agreement that reflects the real cost of living. "Without public sector workers, across local government, across the HSE, without us the place will stall. We need a proper wage."
Watch: “It's down to the basics” | Karen
“We’ve had enough” | Joey
Joey, a member of the union’s Municipal Employees division working in TU Dublin, says the growing frustration among public servants reflects the pressure facing ordinary working families, with rising household costs and wages struggling to keep pace.
“We're not talking about people that have got millions,” he explains, describing families who are finding it increasingly difficult to afford even the occasional holiday.
He recalls how workers who might once have taken their children away for a family break are now having to reconsider. For Joey, everyone deserves better.
Watch: “The Workforce in This Country Have Had Enough” | Joey's Message to Jack Chambers
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