Louth TD fully supports striking school secretaries and caretakers

The government has been urged to ‘act rationally’ and come to a ‘fair agreement’ with school secretaries and caretakers as industrial action at local primary and secondary schools enters its second week. Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú said he and his party ‘are in full support and solidarity’ with the Fórsa trade union members who started indefinite strike action last week over pension parity and other key entitlement.

The Sinn Féin deputy joined a large number of Fórsa members at a rally in Dublin last week, which included a large number of secretaries and caretakers from schools in Louth. He said the strike, which continues this week, was ‘entirely avoidable’ if ministers McEntee and Chambers had engaged with the trade union ‘earlier, in a more constructive way’.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: “Since the start of this strike action, school secretaries and caretakers have mobilised in large numbers to fight for pension parity. This week, we will see the escalation of that action with pickets outside schools and, potentially, widespread disruption that will affect families with children at the schools affected.

“The government has been reckless about how it is has dealt with this issue so far and the Labour Court should intervene and call the parties together. I was proud to join school secretaries and caretakers from Louth and across the State in solidarity with their demands.

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“School secretaries and caretakers are just standing up for themselves and for what is right. They are essential and integral to the running of our schools and much of the work they do is unseen. 

“There is a two-tiered system within schools. Principals, teachers and SNAs are entitled to sick leave, bereavement leave and other entitlements as well as a pension, but secretaries and caretakers don’t. Schools will be put under pressure to cope without the work of their secretaries and caretakers, which is completely unsustainable.

“Minsters Chambers and McEntee can end this entirely avoidable strike, by listening to what our secretaries and caretakers need, and getting these essential staff get back to their schools.”