School secretaries on strike

Protests all over the country

School secretaries across the county have vowed to remain on indefinite strike until they are awarded pension parity and the same holiday entitlements as teachers and SNAs.

The strike action by Forsa union members, has left teachers and parents struggling to cope with a range of issues as schools reopened for the new academic year.

Protests have been staged all over the county in recent days as the dispute continues. These included separate demonstrations outside the offices of both Cavan Fianna Fáil TDs yesterday (Tuesday).

Speaking at a protest outside her office in Bailieborough, Minister of State Niamh Smyth described it as “totally unacceptable” that anybody has to “walk out of their jobs” and “not have a pension”.

“There’s no other industry in which that’s the case.”

Addressing the secretaries assembled outside her constituency office, she described them as the “unsung heroes” of the “functioning school”.

“We all know that the school runs because of the secretaries,” she said, noting that it is “predominately women” affected.

Minister Smyth assured those gathered of “huge support for your endeavours and your campaign” from her and her party colleagues.

She pledged to meet with the relevant Government ministers next weekend to press the issue.

See the printversion of The Anglo-Celt for more