Talks at WRC to avert school secretaries strike

Exploratory talks are due to be held at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) today in a bid to avert strike action by school secretaries and caretakers which is due to begin tomorrow.

Their union Fórsa has claimed they are being treated as “second-class citizens” as they are not being given access to public sector pensions and other entitlements.

School secretaries and caretakers attended a meeting at Fórsa headquarters in Dublin last night ahead of the planned action.

School secretary Luisa Carty told the meeting that they have never had an opportunity like this before to secure pension parity.

“We will see this through all the way,” Ms Carty said.

School caretaker Dave Hearne told the meeting that there is a two-tier system in schools because they work alongside teachers and SNAs who get public service pensions.

“We need to stand up for ourselves, this is our last chance and we have to take it,” Mr Hearne said.

More than 2,600 school secretaries and caretakers, who are members of Fórsa, are due to begin indefinite strike action from tomorrow.

According to Fórsa, around 2,000 schools will be affected by the action.

The Department of Education has instructed schools to open as normal but other unions have told their members to support the striking workers by refusing to carry out the duties of secretaries and caretakers.

As part of the action, a rally will be held at the Department of Public Expenditure tomorrow.

Fórsa’s Head of Education Andy Pike said he is not optimistic about today’s talks at the WRC, adding that it may just be a box-ticking exercise by the Government.

A spokesperson for 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.