School secretaries and caretakers represented by Fórsa trade union marked their fourth day of indefinite strike action today (Tuesday), by travelling to Leinster House and TD constituency offices around the country.
As the union campaign has developed, a growing number of Government TDs, senators and MEPs have pledged their support for the striking school staff, while many have committed to writing to their party leaders seeking intervention in the dispute. However, their union Fórsa said these expressions of support have not yet materialised into talks that could bring the strike action to an end.
Fórsa’s head of Education Andy Pike commented: “We’ve had strong expressions of support from 40 Government representatives so far, including 29 TDs, one minister, a minister of state, four senators and three MEPs.
“The level of expressed support comes as no surprise and reflects the huge level of support already expressed by Opposition TDs and senators, as well as local authority representatives of all parties and none.
“Nevertheless, this strike action continues because, despite the considerable noise made by school secretaries and caretakers at Government buildings today, the silence from within those buildings remains absolute,” he said.
Around 200 striking Fórsa members assembled at Leinster House this morning, calling for pension justice and full public service employment status for school secretaries and caretakers.
Mr Pike said school pickets are set to continue, while daily attendance and weekly payroll data, which is usually processed by school secretaries, is not being sent through to the Department of Education.
He added: “The department relies on this data to ensure all staff and substitute teachers are paid properly and on time. As the strike continues this becomes a bigger problem. Everyone involved understands this, yet the Department of Education remains silent and remote.
“Meanwhile, we have Government representatives lining up to tell us they support us, but no sign of those words translating into any form of Government action or policy. This ensures the strike will continue,” he said.
Government representatives have signalled their support either by signing the Fórsa campaign pledge or in direct engagements with Fórsa members and officials. The following Government representatives have signalled their support for the strike by school secretaries and caretakers:
- Kevin Boxer Moran TD (IND Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation)
- Minister Peter Burke (FG – Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment)
- Senator Cathal Byrne (FG)
- Michael Cahill TD (FF)
- Catherine Callaghan TD (FG)
- Sean Canney TD (IND – Minister of State)
- Michael Carrigy TD (FG)
- Peter Cleere TD (FF)
- John Clendennen TD (FG)
- Niall Collins TD (FF)
- Senator Alison Comyn (FF)
- Joe Cooney TD (FG)
- MEP Barry Cowen (FF)
- Cathal Crowe TD (FF)
- Emer Currie TD (FG)
- Albert Dolan (FF)
- Frank Feighan TD (FG)
- Senator Joe Flaherty (FF)
- Sean Fleming TD (FF)
20. Pat the Cope Gallagher TD (FF)
21. James Geoghegan TD (FG)
22. Noel Grealish TD (IND)
23. Michael Healy Rae Healy Rae TD (IND)
24. Barry Heneghan TD (IND)
25. MEP Billy Kelleher (FF)
26. John Lahart TD (FF)
27. Michael Lowry TD (IND)
28. Paul McAuliffe TD (FF)
29. Noel McCarthy TD (FG)
30. Michael Murphy TD (FG)
31. MEP Cynthia Nu Mhurchu (FF)
32. Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD (FF)
33. Senator Fiona O’Loughlin (FF)
34. Senator Margaret Murphy O’Mahony (FF)
35. Naoise O’Cearuil TD (FF)
36. Willie O’Dea TD (FF)
37. Padraig O’Sullivan TD (FF)
38. Peter Roche TD (FG)
39. Niamh Smyth TD (FF)
40. Edward Timmins TD (FG)
41. Barry Ward TD (FG)
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