Long-running pay dispute near to resolution

Ireland

A national one-day strike planned for 15 September by public services union Fórsa involving school secretaries and caretakers was deferred following significant concessions by the education department. The department finally conceded that all school secretaries should be placed on the public service clerical officer scale, bringing to an end a four-decade old two-tier pay system. The improvements, due to come into effect from 1 September 2021, will also see equalisation of annual leave arrangements on the basis of public service clerical officer provisions. The union said it expected the new employment conditions to be included in a model national contract for secretaries. One or two matters remain to be negotiated but Fórsa sees this as a major victory for school secretaries. The strike action is on hold for two weeks, pending confirmation of the implementation of the package.

Forsa

More like this

Oct. 04, 2008

Progress in long-running health dispute

Ireland

Members of the IMPACT union working in the health service have suspended their industrial action that began in May when they voted to refuse to cover vacant posts. The union action was prompted by the Health Services Executive (HSE) to impose a recruitment freeze. The union attacked not just the decision but the failure of the HSE to consult over the freeze. IMPACT members will now vote on a proposal to resolve the dispute negotiated by the Labour Relations Commission that includes provisions to ensure that consultation procedures will be followed in the future. [Read more at > IMPACT (EN)-

 S
Oct. 08, 2020

Potential strike action in two long-running disputes

Ireland

Public service unions may be involved in new industrial action in two long-running disputes unless the government intervenes. The Forsa trade union has already set dates for strike action to try to resolve the two-tier pay system affecting school secretaries. Following the announcement of the action the government has made a commitment to address the problem but the union wants to see concrete proposals before it calls off the action. Meanwhile, Forsa is joined by SIPTU and INMO in considering a campaign of targeted action across non-profit providers of health and social services - Section 39

 S
Feb. 20, 2020

Long-running disputes in community services continue

Ireland

The Forsa and SIPTU trade unions are continuing to protest and organise industrial action in long-running disputes involving their members in health, social and community services. Many workers in so-called Section 39 publicly-funded organisations provide health and social services but have been denied the kind of pay restoration provided to directly-employed public sector workers in these services. Meanwhile, community employment advisors took strike action on 14 February in the latest step in their campaign for the implementation of a 2008 Labour Court recommendation on their rights to

 S