Will schools stay open? All you need to know about the secretary and caretakers' dispute

Exploratory talks are underway at the Workplace Relations Commission in Dublin in a bid to avert a planned strike action by school secretaries and caretakers which is due to begin this Thursday.

While some schools have already re-opened following the summer holiday's the action has been planned for what will the first day back for the majority of schools.

Trade union Fórsa has claimed its members are being treated as "second-class citizens" as they are not being given access to public sector pensions and other entitlements, such as sick pay and bereavement leave.

What’s happening?
More than 2,600 school secretaries and caretakers, members of the Fórsa trade union, are due to begin strike action from Thursday. Around 2,000 schools are expected to be impacted by any strike action.

Why are they planning to strike?
At the heart of the dispute is pension parity. Secretaries and caretakers argue that, unlike teachers and SNAs, they do not have access to public service pensions creating what they are describing as a “two-tier system” within schools. Fórsa says this is the last chance to secure fair treatment.

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How did we get here?
In 2022, most secretaries were moved onto the Department of Education’s payroll, which brought improved pay and entitlements like sick leave and maternity leave. However, they were not classified as public servants and so did not gain access to public service pensions.

Pay: Secretaries earn between €15.96 and €24 per hour, depending on years of service. Based on term-time hours, annual pay averages about €29,000.

Entitlements: They have access to sick pay, maternity, paternity and carers leave, but not to a public service pension. Around 10% of secretaries, mainly in ETB schools, do have such pensions.

What do secretaries and caretakers do?
Secretaries handle a wide range of duties, from payroll, booking school buses, and finding substitute teachers to acting as administrators and frontline support for principals, boards of management, and parents. Caretakers are responsible for the upkeep, safety, and day to day running of school buildings. Fórsa argues that these roles have become increasingly professionalised but remain undervalued.

Will schools open as normal?
The Department of Education has instructed schools to remain open. However, other unions have told members not to cover the work of striking staff, meaning administration, payroll, and building maintenance may be disrupted. Parents are advised to check with individual schools.

Are talks taking place?
Exploratory talks are taking place at the Workplace Relations Commission. Union sources have downplayed expectations, describing them as “talks about talks” rather than meaningful negotiations.

What is the Department of Education and Youth saying?
A spokesperson says the Department of Education and Youth has said it values the role of secretaries and caretakers and will continue engaging with all sides.

What are the opposition saying?
Labour’s education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD said: “Minister (Helen) McEntee has been utterly silent and invisible on this issue and it’s about to come to a head. School communities are losing confidence in the Minister with every passing moment. Anyone who works in a school or who has a child in a school knows the enormous impact that our secretaries and caretakers have on the community. It’s simply not feasible for schools to run as normal without them.”

What happens next?
Alongside the strike, a rally will take place outside the Department of Public Expenditure on Thursday. Fórsa says members are prepared to continue the action until progress is made.