The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) supports School Secretaries who are taking industrial action this Friday 20th September. School Secretaries around the country will engage in a short work stoppage at the beginning of the school day, with work-to rule action thereafter.

School Secretaries are in dispute with the Department of Education “as a result of their refusal to address a two-tier pay system that leaves most earning just €12,500 a year, with irregular, short-term contracts that force them to sign on during the summer holidays and other school breaks” - says FÓRSA.

The ISSU Deputy President, Chloe Griffin expressed the unions solidarity with school secretaries; “The ISSU believes that every member of the school community should be valued and appreciated, and this includes school secretaries. It is not good enough that these vital members of the school community are being treated in this way with their basic working rights being broken. We are united with the secretaries and FÓRSA in their fight to end this long standing pay injustice. Members of the ISSU will also be in attendance at the North Dublin National School Projects work stoppage, and we encourage our members to join secretaries at pickets across the country”.

Protests will be carried out in 250 schools around the country and up to 1000 schools are reported to be affected by the stoppage. Secretaries will protest outside of their schools or may join at another school protest with their colleagues for the duration of the stoppage. 

The ISSU encourages students to stand in solidarity with secretaries, and to also attend the marches for climate action taking place later that day.