A breakthrough has been made in the school secretaries and caretakers’ dispute.
Galway East TD and Minister of State Seán Canney assisted in brokering an agreement for the secretaries’ and caretakers’ union Fórsa and the Department of Education to go into the Workplace Relations Commission with a view to reaching a resolution.
The secretaries and caretakers want the Department to end the two-tier system of payment which leaves many of them earning as little as €12,500 a year.
Only a few hundred of the country’s 3,500 school secretaries are paid directly by the Department.
Those paid indirectly have lower wages and no pension entitlements.
Minister Canney said: “I attended meetings with Fórsa and the secretaries and this is a first, very important step towards entering negotiations with a view to getting an agreement.”
The breakthrough follows industrial action by the secretaries which began with a one-hour stoppage on September 20 followed by a work to rule.
The Department of Education said in a statement this evening that it regretted the industrial action but was willing to participate in discussions with Fórsa at the Workplace Relations Commission.

For more information contact Minister Canney on 086-2513639
October 2 2019