Forsa strike action impacting local schools as dispute over pension parity continues

The impact that the ongoing strike by school secretaries and caretakers is having on schools has been highlighted by a local parent who told how pupils in one Meath primary school have been asked to bring in toilet roll, soap and a hand towel.

Fórsa, the union representative school secretaries and caretakers is seeking access to a public service pension scheme and other entitlements, including bereavement and sick leave and began its indefinite strike action last Thursday.

One parent with children in O'Growney NS, Athboy, told how they got word yesterday that their children would have to start bringing in toilet roll, soap and a hand towel during the strike, due to the caretaker not being able to re-fill these essential items.

"The children also have to bring all rubbish home in their school bag. So we have rubbish and damp towels in their bags (a lovely combination for bacteria to grow) during flu season. The teachers will have to remind the children to bring their toilet roll back with them and keep it in a dry spot in their bag until they need it again, as if they haven’t enough to be at."

The parent said she fully supported the Fórsa action and had emailed the three Meath West TDs asking them to make their concerns heard.

"This just isn’t hygienic for young children and will be so disruptive for the teachers who are doing their best to get all the kids settled without having all this extra work piled on top of them.

"The strike needs to be settled as soon as possible. I’m sure there are a hundred other issues that will arise that we haven’t even considered yet, but for now, this is a pretty big concern for the parents, especially those of us with kids in junior and senior infants."

The industrial action, led by Fórsa, began a week ago 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.