Dear Member,
More than half of indoors staff in Fingal County Council have gotten behind the A Better Deal campaign and signed our pledge of support.
The current public service pay agreement has now run its course with the final 1% pay increase having come into effect on 1st June.
We know that members are struggling, the rising cost of living paired with the ongoing crisis in healthcare and housing is having a massive impact on ordinary public servants. The A Better Deal campaign is one of the ways we are building power and building leverage so we can get the best possible deal for public servants.
As part of this campaign, we are empowering members to take action and sign a pledge that says we won't accept less than what we demand.
This week - we spoke to some of our members across the Council about what this campaign means to them.
For Fingal library staff, Conor and Kayla, the A Better Deal campaign is an important step for building their future.
Conor said that housing was key to his decision to sign the pledge. He said: "We want a better deal so we can finally stop renting and get a home of our own."
Kayla agreed, stating that: "living day-to-day has meant I haven't been able to think about the future. Real pay increases that address the cost-of-living would help to ease some of that pressure and enable us to plan properly for our future."
Across the Council, momentum has been building with colleagues expressing similar sentiments.
In the Law Department in Blanchardstown more than 90% of staff have signed the pledge reflecting the level of support for the campaign across the section.
Similarly, in the Housing Department 70% of staff have signed to support the pledge.
Speaking about the reason why so many colleagues have decided to sign, Grace Martin, Fingal branch Vice-Chair, said: “I am passionate about public service and the value it can deliver to society, but as the staff delivering the service, we need to be valued. The unsustainable rise in the cost of living coupled with the crisis in housing and healthcare means that for many of us our living standards have only gotten worse."
“I want better a better deal for myself and my colleagues so we can live better lives outside of work.” She concluded.
What's Next
As ordinary public servants, we can only achieve the best possible outcome by standing together and demonstrating to government that we are united. Every signature counts in building our leverage. Right now - we have just under 50,000 signatures and this figure is growing by the day. The more staff members who sign, the louder our collective voice and the better the deal we can get.
Anybody working in the public sector can sign - regardless of whether or not they are a member.
The Fórsa Fingal LG branch is asking all staff members to do the following:
- Sign the pledge here.
- Share this email with your colleagues and encourage them to sign - you do not have to be a member of Fórsa to sign.
- Share this email with your family and friends working in the public sector.
More updates will issue to members in due course. None of our union's success is possible without the participation of our members. Through this campaign, our branch activists and ordinary members have spread the message and encouraged colleagues to sign, which is why such a high proportion of staff have signed to support. If you are interested in getting more involved in the campaign, please reach out to me at geraldine.whelan@fingal.ie.
Kind regards,
Geraldine Whelan
Fórsa Fingal Branch Chair
Like