Exploratory talks will be held at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Wednesday in a bid to avert planned strike action by school secretaries and caretakers.
The workers, who are represented by the Fórsa trade union, are due to begin indefinite strike action from Thursday in a dispute over access to public service pensions and other entitlements.
More than 2,600 workers nationwide are involved, following a 98% vote in favour of strike action.
According to Fórsa, around 2,000 schools will be affected by the strike.
The union and Government representatives have accepted an invitation from the WRC to attend exploratory talks on Wednesday.
Tomorrow evening, a strike meeting for school secretaries and caretakers will take place at Fórsa’s headquarters in Dublin.
As part of the action, a rally will be held at the Department of Public Expenditure on Thursday.
Fórsa has described as “deliberate and indefensible” the exclusion of many school secretaries and caretakers from access to a public service pension and public sector terms of employment.
A spokesperson of the Department of Education and Youth said it recognises the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities.
“In recent years we have made progress in improving the terms and conditions of school secretaries,” the department said.
“This has included secretaries being placed on the payroll of the department and linked to any increases in pay under public sector agreements, improved annual leave entitlements, improved maternity provisions and paid sick leave in excess of the statutory requirement,” it added.
The department said that it will continue to engage with all parties in the coming period.
