Schools making headway in tackling accumulated tasks following caretaker and secretary strike, with union claiming triumph
Schools across Ireland are set to return to normal following a suspension in the strike action that has affected more than 2,000 schools over the past week and a half. The dispute, which involved the Fórsa union and the Ministry of Education, has been ongoing for months, with negotiations taking place at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The breakthrough in talks, announced by Minister for Education Helen McEntee, comes after a series of intensive negotiations. Both sides have been urged to approach the discussions with an open mind and good faith, without preconditions or preconceived ideas of a final outcome.
The negotiations on Wednesday ended without agreement, but further negotiations before the Labour Court are planned. The Government believes settling this strike, which threatened to pose mounting problems for it over the coming weeks, is worth the risk.
The employment arrangements in schools are considered complicated but unique. The department was concerned that giving in on the pensions issue could create a precedent for other workers, potentially including the much larger group of Section 39 workers providing healthcare and social services at voluntary organizations.
However, the completed deal, if there are no hiccups, is expected to represent a substantial success for Fórsa and the 2,800 members who took strike action. The agreement signed by Fórsa, the department, and the WRC includes commitments to negotiate a pay framework for caretakers, resolve issues around bereavement and sick leave, and make progress on "comparable pension entitlements."
The union, Fórsa, presented the agreement as a complete victory to its members, suggesting that any outstanding issues to be resolved at the Labour Court at a future date only leave room for negotiations on the detail.
The department remains silent on the dispute, but its previously firm position may have eased in the wake of comments by Fórsa's head of education, Andy Pike. Pike acknowledged the Government side feared that if it made concessions, everyone else would want similar claims and stated that the union had been "looking at this problem for years."
The strike enjoyed broad support from parents, teachers, SNAs, the public, and a majority of Government TDs, with a Fórsa-commissioned poll putting public support at 82% and opposition at 12%.
As schools start clearing administrative and maintenance backlogs on Monday, school leaders are encouraged to seek support if particular issues exist. It is likely to take a couple of weeks before things return to normal in schools affected by the strike.
Some members of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael parliamentary parties attempted to place responsibility for the situation at the door of Ministers belonging to the other party, Ms McEntee in Education and Jack Chambers at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, respectively. However, the details of the negotiations and the specific issues at hand remain confidential at this time.
The WRC document acknowledges that the talks scheduled for Wednesday may be complex but asserts confidence in a quick conclusion. Any outstanding issues to be resolved at the Labour Court at a future date.
