Barefield NS principal Gareth Ruane with secretaries outside the constituency office of Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF).
ENNIS COUNCILLORS have voiced their support for school secretaries and caretakers in their efforts to secure pension parity with their colleagues and the same access to sick and bereavement leave.
Strikes across Co Clare were stood down on Friday to allow for talks to recommence at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). More than 2,600 school staff, who are members of the Fórsa trade union, engaged in strike action for more than a week impacting around 2,000 schools nationally.
In a proposal before the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) called on the local authority to express “its full solidarity with school secretaries and caretakers represented by Fórsa Trade Union in their campaign for fair treatment and pension equality”.
He asked that “The Ennis MD calls for fairness for all workers and requests that our Director of Services write to Fórsa Trade Union to formally convey the Ennis Municipal District’s support for their members’ demands. Furthermore, we ask that letters be issued to Minister Jack Chambers and Helen McEntee urging their departments to engage meaningfully with the workers’ representatives and to resolve this long-standing injustice”.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Cllr Guilfoyle commented, “I welcome the fact that the show of strength and support from people in the community has brought an unwilling government to the negotiating table, it is a crying shame that workers have to do that. These workers are worth every penny, every day off, terms and condition and entitlement they have looked for”.
Senior engineer Seán Lenihan said they “fully acknowledge the good work done by the various school secretariat and support staff”. He confirmed he was happy to forward the letter of support with the agreement of elected members.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) remarked that secretaries are “at the heart of the operation” in schools while voicing the importance of caretakers. “I stood with them every day on the picket line. We’ve a fantastic secretary and caretaker in Clarecastle, I am delighted to see them back at work. The Government got this very wrong”.
Secretaries and caretakers were assured by Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) that the Ennis representatives are behind them. “As an SNA I want to say how proud I was to stand with secretaries and caretakers, it is never easy to stand alone but they did it. I’m glad the strike has been stood down but the issues remain. Secretaries and caretakers are at the heart of our schools, they keep everything running, your fight was just and you have our full support”.
Support was also voiced by Cllr Pat Daly (FF), “it is good to see the Government are actually talking to them”. Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said, “It is desperate that it came to this, hopefully things will be resolved properly”, he advised the meeting he “stood in solidarity” in Clarecastle, Knockanean and Cloughleigh with impacted workers.
That the threat of industrial action emanated was “unfortunate”, said Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) who praised the impact of the trade unions.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said all Fine Gael councillors in Clare issued a joint statement in support of the secretaries and caretakers. She remarked, “it is great to see it has been resolved” but she was quickly reminded by Cllr Guilfoyle, “It is not resolved”.
He informed the meeting he was also on the picket line where he spoke and reached out to those impacted. “Because it has gone to negotiations does not mean dispute has been resolved, this will strengthen the workers argument,” he added.
