School secretaries are to engage in one-hour work stoppage on Friday
By Mary Dennehy
SECRETARIES are due to protest outside 250 schools nationwide on Friday, September 20, including schools in Tallaght, Lucan, Ballyfermot, Greenhills, Crumlin, Clondalkin and Drimnagh.
On Wednesday, September 18, a meeting between Forsa and education department officials concerning the issues behind industrial action by school secretaries concluded without agreement.
(Aerial file shot of Tallaght )
According to public service union Forsa, the dispute is over the education department’s “refusal to address a two-tier pay system” that leaves most earning just €12,500 a year.
Andy Pike, Forsa’s head of education said: “The two-tier pay regime for school secretaries has been in force for more than four decades.
“In that time we’ve seen little if any serious engagement from the Department of Education.
“[Wednesday’s] meeting failed to deliver any progress whatsoever.
“Nothing was tabled by officials from the department to end this long-standing pay injustice.
“Our focus now is the industrial action that’s set to commence on Friday.”
School secretaries are this Friday, September 20, set to engage in a one-hour work stoppage at the start of the school day (8.30am to 9.30am).
Protests are scheduled to take place at 250 schools nationwide.
Protests will be staged outside the following local schools, with secretaries from other schools invited to gather at the selected protest sites.
Tallaght schools include Scoil Aonghusa Junior, Balrothery, Scoil Carmel JNS in Firhouse, Scoil Santain and St Rose’s NS Balrothery.
Protests are also planned for St Ronan’s NS in Deansrath, St Michael’s School, Ballyfermot, Caritas College, Ballyfermot, Griffeen Valley ETNS, Devine Mercy NS, Balgaddy, Holy Spirit Junior in Greenhills, Loreto College, Crumlin and Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Drimnagh.
The protests were still schedule to go-a-head when The Echo went to print on Wednesday evening.
