James joined school secretaries on the picket line in Sallins today
James said, “I was delighted to join local School Secretaries in Sallins this morning and offer support to them in their strike for proper pay and conditions. 90% of school secretaries do not have the same safeguards in place as the other 10% who are employed directly by the Department. They are at a great disadvantage in terms of sick pay, certainty of hours or pay increases. Many have to sign on for social welfare payments during the summer months as there is no holiday pay.”
“School secretaries are vital to schools and they have to be treated with the respect they deserve. The Workplace Relations Commission has mandated that talks would take place between the Government and the Unions. It is not good enough that the Government has not engaged in this process.”