FAO: All Fórsa members working in Tusla
Dear members,
Following on from my correspondence of 24th October 2023 regarding ongoing industrial action by clerical and admin Fórsa members employed by Tusla in Grades III to VI, I am writing to update you.
On Tuesday (21st November) we served notice to your employer of an escalation of the industrial action underway since the 25th of October, following a decision by the disputes committee. The escalation will commence from Monday 4th of December 2023. The detailed nature of the escalation is set out in correspondence from Fórsa to your employer. You can read that letter here. It contains detailed instructions and I would urge you to read it in full.
Please note this escalation is in addition to the industrial action that is currently underway, so the existing instruction continues to remain in place.
As you are aware, this dispute arises from a withdrawal by your employer from the Job Evaluation scheme (JES) which is a protected term and condition of employment under the 2013 Framework agreement. This 2013 agreement was signed upon transfer of staff from then HSE to Tusla. It guarantees protection of all terms and conditions of employment and the transfer of all existing collective agreements for all staff. The job evaluation scheme is one such agreement.
This dispute, whilst it centres around your employer’s withdrawal from the JES, isn't only about Job Evaluation. It is more fundamental than that.
This is about defending and protecting the integrity of your terms and conditions of employment - as agreed under the 2013 Framework Agreement. If they can take away one part without the agreement of one group of workers, they can take away any part of it. From any of you.
These are hard-fought for protections, so let’s stick together and protect everyone’s rights!
It is our position that DPER or DCEIDY sanction is not required for Tusla to grant our members access to the job evaluation scheme as it is one of the existing agreements between Tulsa and the union under the 2013 Framework Agreement. It is unacceptable for Tusla to continue to deny our members access to the job evaluation scheme.
Despite every effort by Fórsa to engage openly with Tusla, DCEDIY and DPER to resolve this issue, our members, your work colleagues, are now forced to escalate their industrial action.
Please support your colleagues and DO NOT undertake any work that could undermine the existing industrial actions. I have set out below the additional actions which we will escalate to on the 4th December 2023.
All clerical and admin Fórsa members employed by Tusla in Grades III to VI are hereby instructed (in addition to the current industrial action) that as and from their normal starting time on Monday 4th of December 2023, to:
1. Not provide cover for any work colleagues in their absence, irrespective of the reason or length of time of the absence. This includes but is not exclusive to, annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, carers leave, parental leave. Exceptions to this will now require specific approval/derogation from our national disputes committee.
- Each derogation will only be considered on an individual case-by-case basis.
- Each derogation request must be accompanied by a detailed risk assessment in each case and for each specific task required to be covered.
- Each derogation request must also set out the reason for the vacancy and length of time of the vacancy and the period for which the derogation is sought.
2. Not to answer or make calls, i.e. phone calls or video calls outside the following hours:
This includes not using of any phones, landlines, work mobiles, or any video calling via platforms
such as Teams, Webex, Zoom, etc., outside of the times specified above
- Voicemail should be activated outside of these hours to advise callers of the industrial action.
- The instruction includes all incoming and outgoing calls from/to any internal and external sources, whether they be by phone or video platform.
The following lines are exempted from this instruction:
- Tusla’s ‘dedicated contact points’ phone lines for reporting child protection concerns
- Tusla’s ‘Emergency Out of Hours Service’ phone lines
- Tusla’s Head Office main reception phone lines
What does this mean for you and all other union members in Tusla?
Fórsa members employed by Tusla, but who are not directly engaged in the current industrial action, are hereby instructed that they must not carry out the work of their admin colleagues who are in dispute with, nor should you engage in activities which would be deemed to undermine a legitimate industrial action.
I know that many of you may not have been involved in industrial action previously or worked alongside other colleagues engaged industrial action and you may have queries. You should contact your local union representative or union official in the first instance if you need support or clarification on any issues arising. Your employer has been notified of this instruction.
97.7% of your Fórsa member colleagues voted in favour of this industrial action, up to and including full strike action if necessary. Together, we will win this, so please support your colleagues!
How did this happen?
An FAQ is available on our website, you can consult it here.
Should you have further questions please contact your local representative and branch. If you are unsure of who to contact, please contact your closest Fórsa office:
- Cork 021 4255 210 forsacork@forsa.ie
- Limerick 061 319 177 forsalimerick@forsa.ie
- Galway 091 778 031 forsagalway@forsa.ie
- Sligo 071 914 2400 forsasligo@forsa.ie
- Dublin Head Office: 01 8171500 healthandwelfareinfo@forsa.ie
I want to thank you for your solidarity and support of this industrial action to date which is much appreciated. We need to stand strong, hold our resolve and keep united in our actions in order to achieve our aims.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Cully
Assistant General Secretary
National Office – Health & Welfare Division
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