Thursday, 28th August will mark the start of indefinite strike action by school secretaries and caretakers nationwide, It marks the escalation of their efforts to end their deliberate and indefensible exclusion from access to a public service pension and terms of employment.
Fórsa represents more than 2,800 school secretaries and caretakers nationwide. The decision to take strike action was backed by 98% of school secretary and caretaker members in a ballot.
“A calculated policy decision to maintain inequality”
Fórsa national secretary Andy Pike has described the State’s continued refusal to confer public service status as:
“A calculated policy decision to maintain inequality, regardless of the cost to those affected. This policy has locked out several generations of school staff from secure income in retirement.”
Despite working in the same schools, under the same boards of management, on the same departmental payroll as teachers and SNAs, they are treated as second-class staff when it comes to pensions. They are also denied key entitlements, such as occupational sick pay and bereavement leave.
Decades of promises, but no progress
Decades of political engagement, promises and goodwill had failed to deliver pension justice. The campaign by Fórsa members has not yet heard a single political voice raised in opposition.
However, support from across the political spectrum has not yet delivered for these workers. That’s why indefinite strike action is going ahead next week.
They have chosen to picket the Department of Public Expenditure on the first day of the strike because the department continues to block progress on this issue.
What’s at stake is fairness
It’s about the school secretary or caretaker who, after 40 years of service, retires with nothing while their school colleagues leave with a secure pension.
It’s about a worker diagnosed with cancer being denied the basic critical illness protections afforded to every other school staff member.
A call for meaningful talks
Fórsa has formally advised the Department of Education that it remains available for meaningful talks on terms for public service status and pension inclusion.
Join a trade union that wins. Join Fórsa.