Minister needs to engage with union if strike action is to be brought to a halt - O'Rourke
Strike action involving school secretaries and caretakers was entirely avoidable if the Education and Finance ministers engaged with Fórsa trade union constructively at an earlier date.
That's according to Sinn Féin Education and Youth spokesperson, Darren O’Rourke TD, who expressed his full support and solidarity with school secretaries and caretakers as they commenced indefinite strike action today.
He reiterated his calls for both ministers to act rationally and come to a fair agreement for these essential school staff.
The industrial action, led by Fórsa, began last Thursday with a rally outside the Department of Public Expenditure’s offices in Dublin. Around 2,600 staff are affected, with pickets set to continue into the coming weeks. Teachers, SNAs, and other staff have been instructed by their unions not to take on the work of striking colleagues.
The dispute centres on access to the public service pension scheme and other entitlements, including bereavement and sick leave. Although a 2022 agreement placed secretaries in most schools on the public payroll, they are still not officially classified as public servants.
Speaking at St Seachnall's NS in Dunshaughlin, Deputy O'Rourke said: “I was proud to join school secretaries and caretakers from all across the state in Dublin today as they commenced strike action for pension parity and other key entitlements.
“To be clear, this strike did not have to go ahead, Ministers Helen McEntee and Jack Chambers have had ample opportunity to come to a fair and equitable agreement for secretary and caretaker pensions. Just yesterday we witnessed talks in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between Fórsa representatives and the department fail to produce a positive result.
“Andy Pike, Fórsa’s Head of Education, ahead of the talks said that if the union got a ‘little bit down the road’ at the discussions, they may consider calling off today’s strike. It is now quite apparent that neither Minister McEntee or Chambers felt any obligation to open a constructive dialogue and start a discussion on secretary and caretaker pensions with Fórsa.
“The fact is that school secretaries and caretakers are just standing up for themselves. There is a two-tiered system within schools in this state. Principals, teachers and SNAs are entitled to sick leave, bereavement leave and other entitlements as well as a pension they can rely on. Meanwhile secretaries and caretakers have none of the above.
“It is evident that this strike will continue until a resolution that is suitable for secretaries and caretakers is agreed on. In the interim, schools across the state will be put under pressure to cope without the assistance of their secretaries and caretakers, which is completely unsustainable.
“Minister McEntee has outlined that she knows secretaries don’t want to be strike, one of her department officials said that they recognise the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities. If this is true, then why hasn’t the Minister engaged constructively with Fórsa and put a stop to this strike.
“I strongly encourage Minster Chambers and McEntee to end this entirely avoidable strike, listen to what our secretaries and caretakers need, and help these essential staff get back to their schools.”
Deputy Johnny Guirke who joined picket lines in Trim said: “Our school secretaries and caretakers have shown remarkable dedication, often going above and beyond to support our education system. It is only fair that they receive the same recognition and entitlements as their colleagues working in the same schools."