Education Minister can’t stand on sidelines ignoring secretaries and caretakers
Education Minister can’t stand on sidelines ignoring secretaries and caretakers - The Labour Party
- Minister must withdraw Guidance on Upcoming Industrial Action
Labour’s education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has called on Minister McEntee to withdraw a letter issued to Chairpersons of Boards of Management yesterday regarding planned industrial action of secretaries and caretakers.
Deputy Kenny said:
“It’s unbelievable that the Department of Education would issue a missive to schools effectively throwing school principals to the wolves at the busiest time of year.
“Minister McEntee has been utterly silent and invisible on this issue and it’s about to come to a head. School communities are losing confidence in the Minister with every passing moment. Anyone who works in a school or who has a child in a school knows the enormous impact that our secretaries and caretakers have on the community. It’s simply not feasible for schools to run as normal without them.
“The Department is aware the strike is going ahead, they’ve sent out correspondence to schools, and they’re yet to actually acknowledge Forsa or the workers they represent. The silence from the Minister is deafening and it is not going to help resolve this situation.
“Secretaries and caretakers are dedicated servants of the public who love their jobs, and their school communities. This is a dispute about equality, fairness and basic employment rights. I would implore with the Minister to show leadership and intervene in their dispute before all schools return from the summer break.”