School secretaries and caretakers begin indefinite strike action

School secretaries and caretakers at a protest at the Department of Finance on Merrion Street in Dublin. Picture: Stephen Collins/ Collins Photos

School secretaries and caretakers have begun indefinite strike action.

They are campaigning for 2,600 school staff to be included in the public service pension scheme and other entitlements.

The industrial action began as thousands of schools prepare for the start of the new academic year.

Engagement between the Forsa union and the Department of Education at the Workplace Relations Commission concluded without any outcome on Wednesday.

After a union-led campaign several years ago, secretaries in most schools were put on the public payroll in 2022, meaning they no longer had to sign on to social welfare during the summer holidays and became entitled to sick pay and maternity leave.

Although they are now being paid directly by the Department, most are not classified as public servants.

Hundreds of people have taken part in a rally outside the Department of Public Expenditure. A large group manned a picket line outside the department on Merrion St.

Luisa Carty, chairwoman of Forsa’s school secretaries branch, was among those to address the large crowd on Thursday.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people today,” she said. “I feel like we are only after winning an All-Ireland. This is the day we are going to make this happen, if we are ever going to make it happen.

“We need the people inside this (department) building to listen to the voices who are employing them. All of you put them in this building.

“There are so many different stories from people and this day is going to make the difference for all those who made the decision to come to Dublin in these numbers.

“Up the school secretaries and up the school caretakers.”

Forsa general secretary Kevin Callinan urged those taking part in the strike action to “stay firm and we will win”.

He added: “I know that none of you have chosen to be here today but sometimes you have to stand up for yourself and in standing up for yourself, I remember all those who went before over the last 35 years, who served as school secretaries and caretakers and left without a pension.

“I also think of those yet to come. That is what this fight is about.

“I could tell you that almost 100,000 Forsa members stand with you in solidarity.

“I firmly believe we are getting the message across to the wider public, who understand this is a deeply unjust and unfair situation that has to be reversed.

“We need those in political power to account for how this is being allowed to continue.”

Pictured protesting were Fiona Bryan and Joanna uí Chúláin fromTallaght. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

Liam Berney, from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, said it is time for the Government to recognise the “injustice” and return to the negotiating table with a proposal to end the dispute.

“All of you on strike can be assured of the full and unequivocal support of the 800,000 trade union members across the island of Ireland,” he added.

“Colleagues, it’s a real tragedy that you have had to take this action. It will be clear to any decent person that what should happen is a fair settlement of this dispute for school secretaries and caretakers.”

David Hearne, chairman of the Forsa caretakers branch, said: “The people in this building have been denying us access to what we truly deserve. Today they hear our voices, they see our faces.

“Let’s keep this fight and solidarity going.”

Previously, Forsa’s head of education Andy Pike said its members “have been left with no clarity or pathway to a fair pension”.

Mr Pike said: “Our members are beginning this strike today because, despite decades of service, thousands of school secretaries and caretakers still face the prospect of retiring with no pension.

“The State’s continued refusal to give them the same employment status as their colleagues has locked out several generations of school staff from secure income in retirement.

“The policy is a calculated policy decision to maintain inequality.”

On Friday, a series of rallies around the country are planned to be held at 11am, including at the Department of Education, Taoiseach Micheal Martin’s Cork constituency office, and Tanaiste Simon Harris’s constituency office in Bray.