McEntee anxious to see school secretary and caretaker strike resolved but says talks won't happen with preconditions

As the strike affecting over 2,000 school secretaries and caretakers comes to the end of its first week, the Minister for Education, Helen McEntee has reiterated her desire to resolve the issue but insisted negotiations could only take place without preconditions on pension parity the Forsa trade union is demanding.

"No one wants to see this resolved more than I do and I really do appreciate this difficult situation our schools are in. I appreciate that it's been a challenge and I want to thank everybody for their work this week.

Speaking to the Meath Chronicle at the official opening of the rebuilt Timeless Sash Windows manufacturing plant in Trim on Friday (5th September), Minister McEntee said:

"Where do issues like this get resolved? It's about everybody getting around the table. Our industrial relations mechanisms are the best place to do that.

"Unfortunately our engagement with the WRC did not have progress last week and I've been engaging intensively with my colleague, Minister Jack Chambers this week to get us to a place where we can get us around the table and the government is willing and ready to talk to Forsa and to engage with them without any preconditions.

"I think it's really important for both sides, for the government and Forsa to get around the table without those preconditions so that we can move forward.

In a statement issued on Thursday evening, Forsa said there was "an absence of trust" between the union and the Government.

"Fórsa’s position is that, at the moment, there is insufficient information available to indicate any future talks would be about how and when secretaries and caretakers can be integrated into the public service pension scheme. Bearing in mind that were a formal WRC process to commence, it would in all likelihood require the strike action to be suspended prior to the talks commencing.

"Returning to the WRC (should a formal invitation issue) would risk a repeat of efforts to resolve this issue in 2022, when pension talks were shut down by the Department of Public Expenditure. There remains an absence of trust sufficient to suspend the indefinite strike action currently in place."

The indefinite strike action by more than 2,300 secretaries and 500 caretakers, which affects about 2,000 schools is now seeing uncollected rubbish mounting in schools, vital administrative work being left undone and pupils and students being asked to bring in the own toiletry products and bring waste home. It's feared that some schools may have to close as conditions deteriorate.

The Minister said she is anxious to avoid such a scenario.

"I value our secretaries. I know so many of them as we all do, our caretakers are absolutely invaluable in our schools and I think we just want to see how we can move this forward, how we can recognise their work but how we can move this forward and make sure that our schools are open and everybody is in class on Monday."