TODAY MARKS DAY three of indefinite strike action by school secretaries and caretakers represented by trade union Fórsa.

Nationwide, secretaries and caretakers are preparing to picket outside schools today as they continue to fight for parity with their colleagues in the education sector. They are calling for the Department of Education to classify them as public servants, which would entitle them to a public service pension, among other benefits. 

Over 2,600 Fórsa members are asking for access to public sector pensions and other key entitlements.

On Thursday, the workers began their indefinite strike action after a day of talks at the Workplace Relations Commission failed to see an agreement between the two parties. 

Post-primary teachers’ unions ASTI and TUI, as well as primary school union INTO, have instructed their members not to take on any of the secretaries and caretakers’ roles during the strike action.

The union has expressed disappointment at what it says is a lack of engagement over the weekend to resolve the dispute between workers and the department. On Saturday, Opposition TDs called for the Labour Court to intervene in the dispute. 

Fórsa’s head of Education, Andy Pike, said that pickets will take place outside schools “the length and breadth of the country” this morning. 

“We have been heartened by the support we have received so far from everyone who works in schools and from the public,” Pike said, but said the lack of engagement from the government has done “nothing to help”. 

“The government should listen to their own back bench TDs as well as the public and take the necessary steps to resolve this dispute now, before further disruption impacts children and families.”

Chair of the union’s school secretaries branch, Luisa Carty, said, “We’re at the heart of communities across this country. We want to be back at work, but so far the government [hasn't] made any proposals on pension provision, even though we know teachers, SNAs and parents support us.

“The first few days of our strike have shown us how much support there is for our cause. This has really strengthened our resolve.”

Chair of the school caretakers branch, David Hearne, added that it was “blatantly unfair” that the colleagues of those protesting benefit from the pension and leave entitlements that come with having public servant status, while thousands of school secretaries and caretakers face the prospect of retiring with no pension.