Red Network: A Message To School Secretaries And Caretakers

School secretaries and caretakers - you are taking a brave stand against the injustice that’s been done to you. It’s an absolute disgrace that any worker would be mistreated and deprived of pension parity, sick leave, bereavement leave and critical illness leave.

You’ve taken part in inspiring rallies around the country, building energy and enthusiasm for the pickets that are due to go up outside schools from next week. These pickets must go ahead.

The government will offer talks after the rallies on Thursday and Friday to prevent a show of worker power taking place. Nothing they offer is real until its signed, sealed and delivered in print and secretaries and caretakers have had a good look at it.

The problem is our own union leaders often fall for this government game and call off strike actions at the last minute, demoralising grassroots trade unionists and giving the government confidence. Often this is presented as showing “good faith” to the government, but in fact it shows weakness.

Our power is our numbers. The strike by school secretaries and caretakers has public support. No other worker thinks it’s OK to deprive a worker of a pension or sick leave.

The union bureaucracy are often paid tens of thousands and spend all their time negotiating with government and the bosses. They become ever more distant from the grassroots workers they are representing.

They sometimes forget that our collective actions as workers are more powerful than their words. Of course negotiations should take place - but workers should go into negotiations with a strong hand and clear determination to win.

That’s what will impress on the government that this issue isn’t going away and workers mean business.

If Education Minister Helen McEntee offers talks at the weekend, Forsa should send negotiators alongside representatives of the grassroot strikers. It should be made clear to the government that the pickets are going ahead unless they concede to all the workers’ demands.

Workers tell your union - don’t call off the pickets at the first sign of talks from the government!

By standing strong and united all 2,600 secretaries and caretakers can win and inspire other workers to protest, strike and do the same.

Socialists believe that us workers should run the economy - that workers in education should get to vote on how eduction is run, the same goes for construction or the health service. The average nurse would make decisions far better than any overpaid HSE boss does.

The first step towards a future Ireland where workers have a real voice is actions like yours and for that we are all forever grateful. Victory to the school secretaries and caretakers’ strike!