The ballot on the SNA Workforce Development Plan has now closed. The results are as follows:

Members voted decisively not to support the Government’s SNA Workforce Development Plan.

The plan was developed over two and a half years by the Department of Education, consulting and negotiating with stakeholders including Fórsa. It consisted of a new circular on the role of the SNA, a new contract template and a redeployment circular.

Commenting on the result, Fórsa’s head of Education, Andy Pike said: “This clear and decisive outcome demonstrates that SNAs do not have confidence in the SNAWDP.

“The ballot sought members’ views on the range of new measures contained within the plan. Before the ballot opened, we organised an extensive consultation process with members, hosting 20 face-to-face meetings with members across the country, as well as online meetings attended by thousands of members.

“The views of SNAs were expressed very clearly in the consultation meetings and in the ballot result, and their verdict is that the plan is deficient in many areas.”

Andy continued: “While the plan contains a number of progressive elements, including the new redeployment circular and enhanced job security provisions, some members have expressed the view that it offers limited tangible benefit in the absence of specific pay measures. It is important to note that the workforce development process and national public service pay negotiations are separate, though related, processes.”

“The purpose of this process was to address SNA role definition, deployment, job security and continuing professional development specific to the SNA grade. Pay matters are dealt with through national negotiations covering the wider public service.”

As members will be aware, the current public service pay agreement expired this week, and unions are now considering the basis on which to enter negotiations on a successor agreement, with a focus on cost-of-living measures. Fórsa members across the public service will ultimately be asked to ballot on any proposed pay agreement arising from those negotiations, a process which is likely to take some time.

Speaking about the result general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “This has been a detailed and wide-ranging consultation process, with strong levels of engagement from SNA members across the country. The scale of participation and the clarity of the outcome must be respected.

"While the result does not provide the basis for moving forward with the plan in its current form, it clearly highlights the issues of concern to members.

"Fórsa will now assess the outcome in detail and determine the appropriate next steps. The union will continue to represent SNA members’ interests in a structured and strategic way, including in the context of forthcoming public service pay negotiations, where pay and cost-of-living issues will be central.

"That work will continue on behalf of members across the education sector and the wider public service.”

What happens next

In the immediate term, Fórsa’s Education Divisional Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday 8th July to consider the outcome of the SNA consultation ballot and determine next steps. We will continue to update members as developments arise.