Union: Schools told to cut secretaries’ pay

THE Department of Education has been accused of telling schools to cut pay and hours for secretaries and caretakers to fund shortfalls in money for books, buildings and other school necessities.

The circular which was issued to schools in recent weeks tells them that funding provided this year for general running costs and funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services “may be regarded as a common grant from which (each) board of management can allocate according to its own priorities”.

IMPACT trade union, which represents the affected workers, said a ministerial circular would hit some of the poorest paid workers in the state.