FAQs – National Strike 2026

A strike is a work stoppage. Simply put workers withdraw their labour and do not work.

It is a form of industrial action utilised to increase leverage and advance the union’s position in the ongoing dispute.

Strike action means withdrawing your labour for the duration of the work stoppage. Members should:

• Not attend work.
• Not work from home.
• Not access work systems.
• Not answer work emails, phone calls or messages.
• Not undertake work duties of any kind.

Two strike days are currently planned, Wednesday 14th October and Wednesday 21st October.

These are 24-hour work stoppages, which begin at your normal starting time.

All public sector unions involved in this dispute are planning to strike on the same days to ensure maximum impact.

Yes. Employers are formally notified of the industrial action by the union. This is a legal requirement.

New members are covered for the purposes of industrial action following the receipt of application. This means if you join before or during industrial or strike action you are protected to take part in the action.

The strike begins at each worker’s normal starting time. This is a 24hour work stoppage so if your shift begins before 23.59pm on Tuesday 13th October, your strike begins at 00.00am on Wednesday 14th October. This might mean that the strike begins in the middle of your shift. You should work your shift up to midnight and begin the strike at 00.00am on Wednesday 14th October. Pickets may be adapted to shift patterns.

As a trade union member, you are protected when you take industrial action.

Sometimes ‘derogations’ are granted during industrial action. A derogation means that a certain type of work, or worker, is exempt from the union instruction. Usually these are only granted when maintaining the industrial action could have life threatening consequences.

For example, in the health service, when perfusionists went on strike for one day this year, a derogation was granted for emergency life-saving operations.

The employer must request a derogation, which will be assessed by the National Executive Committee (NEC), and the NEC will determine whether a derogation should be granted or not.

You should decline and inform your manager that you are taking part in a one-day strike action as part of the ongoing industrial action.

You should not work on a strike day, regardless of your work location. You should contact your branch or workplace rep for details on local pickets.

You should not travel. Inform your line manager in advance that you will be on strike on Wednesday 14th October and Wednesday 21st October and that you cannot travel for work on those days.

If your leave was booked and approved before the strike days were announced you can take your annual leave. Make sure your local rep is aware you will be on approved leave.

As you are on authorised leave, you are not working, therefore you cannot withdraw your labour. Do not log in to any work systems on the strike day. Consider showing solidarity with your colleagues if you can.

On a strike day you should report to a picket.

When workers are on strike, they come together to picket the workplace. This builds visibility and public awareness and brings workers together.

Fórsa pickets will run from 8am to 4pm. Rosters will be in place so members can picket in shifts and to ensure there is a balanced number of members on the picket at all times.

Picket locations are determined locally by local strike committees/disputes committees. Your local branch or workplace rep should tell you where your picket will be located. Typically this will be outside your own workplace, or another workplace location where your employer operates.

You will be briefed at the picket line the specific guidelines of the picket you are attending, however, in general:

• The picket must remain peaceful.
• The purpose is to communicate information and peacefully persuade.
• Access must not be obstructed.
• Vehicles must not be blocked or surrounded.
• Members of the public must be treated respectfully.
• Unrelated businesses should not be targeted.
• Members should remain at the agreed picket location.
• Members should not enter the employer’s premises unless authorised.
• Any difficulty should be referred to the picket captain or designated union official.

A picket roster will be issued locally.

• Appropriate clothing such as comfortable shoes and layers.
• Weather-appropriate clothing (a waterproof jacket if it is likely to rain).
• Water and refreshments.
• Union materials such as flags and placards will be available.

If you are unfit for work, you should not attend the workplace or picket. Nobody is expected to picket against medical advice or where it would put their health at risk.

You are on strike and you do not work, but you should follow the medical advice and engage in the strike from home. Nobody is expected to picket against medical advice or where it would put their health at risk. Tell your local rep so you are not recorded as absent from the roster.

Please discuss this with your local rep. There may be coordination work you can undertake that will support the picket that does not involve standing for a long period. Do not put your health at risk.

Speak to your local rep. Please note as the picket is during working hours members will be expected to report to the picket.

The strike day is a 24-hour stoppage that runs until midnight. Members should not work at any point during it. Fórsa pickets will run from 8am to 4pm. Picket rosters will be established locally. You can also support your colleagues in other ways after your rostered picket duty. Talk to your local rep to find out what is needed.

Normally yes, but check the local arrangement before the day, as this will vary by site.

Yes. Your employer does not pay you for a strike day. Normally, employers treat it as a day of unpaid leave. If it is treated as unpaid leave, it means you won’t receive pay for that day. It also means a lower tax deduction in that pay cycle, so the net loss is smaller than the gross figure loss.

Fórsa pays strike pay following three consecutive days of strike.

If annual leave was approved before the strike was called, you should remain on approved leave. Members with questions about specific circumstances should contact their local representative or branch. As a trade union member, you will be expected to report to the picket on the strike day.