FAQs: School secretaries and caretakers – strike action for pension parity

The strike begins on Thursday 28th August. Members voted for indefinite industrial action so the duration of the strike is not known.

School secretaries and caretakers don’t have access to public service pensions, even though they go to work every day with teachers and SNAs who do.

Without school secretaries and caretakers, schools simply can’t function.

This is a campaign for equality among workers in school. We are calling for:

• Pension parity
• A single contract of employment for secretaries and caretakers
• Access to decent sick leave and bereavement leave

Over 26,000 people have signed a pledge of support for our campaign. Minister of Education Helen McEntee told us in April she supports our campaign, and so did the TDs and Senators who are members of the Oireachtas Education Committee in July.

But these are just empty words until real action happens. It is up to the Government and the Department of Public Expenditure to take action and resolve the deep injustice at the heart of education in Ireland.

There are a number of key things you should do before the strike begins.

• Complete the form issued to members detailing locations of rallies and pickets, and asking for the essential information we need to pay you strike pay.
• Attend an in-person information meeting.
• Make a plan for how to get to Dublin for the national rally on Thursday 28th August, and decide which regional rally you will go to on Friday 29^th

From Wednesday 13^th August to Tuesday 26^th August information meetings will take place across the country.

On Wednesday 27^th August an online national meeting for members will also provide all necessary information. A link for this meeting will issue to all members.

Here is a list of in -person meetings:

• Wednesday 13^th August 7pm: Galway, Fórsa Office, H91 HT27
• Wednesday 13^th August 7pm: Waterford, Viking Hotel, X91 Y657
• Thursday 14^th August 7pm: Athlone, The Bounty, N37K0T9
• Thursday 14^th August 7pm: Drogheda, Boyne Valley Hotel, A92EY89
• Monday 18^th August 7pm: Kildare, Kildare Education Centre, R51KN66
• Monday 18^th August 7pm: Sligo, Fórsa Office, F91 HHX4
• Tuesday 19^th August 7pm: Letterkenny, Clanree Hotel, F92RV10
• Tuesday 19^th August 7pm: Cork, Watergrasshill NS, T56 EW80
• Wednesday 20^th August 3pm: Cavan, Kilmore Hotel, H12F6Y7
• Wednesday 20^th August 7pm: Castlebar, Education Centre, F23HX48
• Wednesday 20^th August 7pm: Thurles, Anner Hotel, E41X789
• Thursday 21^st August 7pm: Enniscorthy, Riverside Park Hotel, Y21 T2F4
• Thursday 21^st August 7pm: Limerick, Fórsa Office, V94YY31
• Monday 25^th August 7pm: Tralee, The Rose Hotel, V92HK52
• Tuesday 26^th August 6:30pm:Dublin, Fórsa Head Office, D01TR53

There will be a national rally in Dublin, outside the offices of the Department of Public Expenditure, Merrion Square, Dublin 2 at 11am. Members are asked to arrive from 10.30am.

Buses have been organised which will bring members from locations around the country. There is a map here. Use the form to register for which bus you will take.

On Friday 29^th August there will be 5 regional rallies. You should attend the closest rally to you. These will also begin at 11am but members will need to be at the meeting points from 10.30am.

• Dublin: of Education, Marlborough St, North City, Dublin 1, D01 RC96
• Athlone: Department of Education, Lissywollen, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, N37 TP65
• Cork: Taoiseach Constituency Office137 Evergreen Road, Turners Cross, Cork, T12 N767
• Bray: Tánaiste Constituency Office 5A Quinsborough Rd, Bray, Co. Wicklow, A98 HY48
• Sligo: Minister Marian Harkin Constituency Office, Constitutional Court, Stephen St. Sligo, F91XK07

You should picket outside your school. Picketing outside your school is the most effective way you can take part in the strike. The more schools with visible picket lines outside them, the greater the impact of the strike will be and the more likely there is to be a successful resolution of this issue.

Visibility of members on strike is essential. It is very important that parents, and school staff, see you on the picket line.

Caretakers should picket outside their school from the time at which they usually open the school.

School secretaries should picket outside their school from 8am.

You should also be on the picket line at the end of the school day, between 1pn and 3.30pm for primary schools, and up to 4.30pm for post primary schools.

It is very important that members on strike are visible to the community, so that we demonstrate strength and keep getting our message out. We know parents and the wider school communities are supportive of this campaign, we need to keep that going.

Meeting supporters when you are on the picket will give you a chance to talk to them about the issues and ask them to sign the pledge of support.

If you are not comfortable doing so, you can choose another location in your county, the form you've been sent by email lists three schools per county.

You should picket outside the constituency office of your local Government TD. There is a list in the form.

Throughout this campaign politicians from all parties and none have said they support us, but we need them to push for action! Picketing outside their offices will show them this issue won’t go away, and that their support is needed.

From then on you should picket outside your school or your alternative picket location until further notice.

There is a list of collection points in the form. You will be able to collect flyers, stickers and placards at the collection points.

‘Strike pay’ is a flat rate of pay paid to union members on strike. All members have been issued with a form asking for details needed to pay strike pay.

As per the agreement on strike pay, you will not be paid for the first 2 days of strike. You only begin to get strike pay from the third day.

You will be paid a flat rate of pay, as agreed by the National Executive Committee.

Strike pay will be €80* per day, maximum €400 per week and everyone is expected to take part in strike action by being available for picketing or union-organised protests for 5 days a week.

*Strike pay is only payable in instances where a member has been on strike (and off pay) for more than 2 continuous normal working days. For the avoidance of any doubt, a member on strike must cover 3 working days to qualify for strike pay.

Education and Training Board and 78/ 79 secretaries and caretakers are designated public servants who have access to the public service pension scheme(s) (single public service scheme or pre-2013 scheme). They hold public service terms and conditions, and as such, will not be affected by the outcome of this dispute. On that basis, they have not been balloted and are not being instructed to take industrial action. Please show your support for your fellow union members by signing the pledge, showing support online or other actions.

Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools secretaries and caretakers, while mirroring public service terms and conditions, are not designated public servants and do not have direct access to the public service pension scheme(s). Therefore the outcome of this dispute may affect them. As a result of this, they have been balloted and are afforded the legal protections that come as a result, and are being instructed to take industrial action.

We know we have members who also work as a Bus Escort or with School Hot Meals. There is no issue with this, and members should carry out their duties for these jobs only as normal.

As SNA members have not been balloted for industrial action, we cannot ask you to join the strike. Any SNA member who makes an individual decision not to cross a picket line will receive appropriate support and representation from Fórsa if any issues arise as a consequence.

The industrial relations legislation only permits the union to instruct members who have been balloted to take industrial action; therefore, we are not instructing SNAs to join this dispute.

SNA members can show their support for their secretary and caretaker colleagues by standing with them before schools open, supporting them during lunchbreaks and at the end of the school day.

No SNA member should undertake work that would normally have been carried out by their secretary or caretaker colleagues. This includes opening and closing buildings and all work in the secretary’s office. It is very important that SNA members respect this strike and do not undermine it by carrying out the work of other union members who are on strike.

Fórsa remains in contact with the teaching trade unions who have also been asked to ensure that none of their members undertake the work of any secretary or caretaker who is on strike.

Tell them why you are going on strike and ask them to sign this pledge. We are still collecting pledges to show the level of solidarity and support for our campaign. This sends a powerful message to Government.

You can also ask them to come along to a regional rally or to join you outside your school when you are picketing.

Please email educationstrike@forsa.ie and we can support you.