Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins has said the Labour Court must now intervene in the strike by school secretaries and caretakers.
Deputy Cummins said:
“School secretaries and caretakers are the backbone of our school communities. They are essential to the proper running of schools all across the country.
“For decades, these professionals have provided essential services, working under identical arrangements to teachers and special needs assistants. While appointed by boards of management and paid through the Department of Education, crucially, they have been denied public service status.
“This has left them without access to entitlements enjoyed by teachers and SNAs, such as a pension. The glaring inequality of this two-tier system is indefensible.
“School secretaries and caretakers do not want to take this strike action but feel they have been left with no other choice. They have the full support of all teacher unions, who have instructed their members not to fulfil additional duties.
“As we head into a new week, it is clear that the impacts of this strike are going to be felt in schools and something needs to be done to try to resolve it.
“As a matter of urgency, the Labour Court should now intervene to assist in the negotiations between Forsa and the Department of Education.
“All strikes are ultimately resolved via negotiation. There is no reason the Labour Court cannot take a proactive step to try to find a solution to this one.”