School communities abandoned as Chambers plays politics
School communities abandoned as Chambers plays politics - The Labour Party
- Schools cannot run without secretaries, caretakers
- Govt invisible as strike continues
Labour’s Education Spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has slammed Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Jack Chambers following reports that he spent the weekend lobbying for his preferred presidential candidate, yet has failed to pick up the phone to help end the strike of school secretaries and caretakers. With schools left exposed at the busiest time of year a Deputy Kenny has called for immediate Labour Court intervention.
Deputy Kenny said:
“The Minister spent the weekend ringing around Fianna Fáil representatives to shore up support for his preferred presidential candidate, but can’t be bothered to pick up the phone to do anything about the strikes that are impacting schools across the country. At a time when school secretaries and caretakers are on strike, when schools are under immense strain, the Minister has been utterly silent and invisible on this issue.
“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 life of the community. It’s simply not feasible for schools to run as normal without them. Yet the disrespectful and frankly degrading manner in which school secretaries and caretakers have been treated is disgraceful.
“Secretaries and caretakers are dedicated servants of the public who love their jobs and their school communities. This is not a dispute about perks or privileges. This is a dispute about equality, fairness, and basic employment rights. The way this has been allowed to drift is a shocking failure of leadership.
“Last week I was proud to stand with Fórsa members who took to the streets to send a clear message to Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil that there must be equality for caretakers and secretaries. Their voices could not have been clearer.
“Government have failed to rise to the seriousness of this dispute. The Labour Party is calling for the Labour Court to intervene immediately before the school year is further disrupted. Secretaries and caretakers deserve dignity and fairness at work. School communities deserve leadership, not neglect.”