Education workers will hold a regional rally at the People’s Park in Waterford this morning (Friday) as part of the first ever national strike by school secretaries.
Today’s strike will be followed by a resumption of a work to rule, which was suspended in October 2019 to facilitate discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The dispute is over the continuing two-tier pay system that leaves most school secretaries 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.
The vast majority of school secretaries working in Ireland are women.
They will also stage a series of rallies in Dublin, Donegal and Westmeath to highlight their case.
From Monday, they will continue industrial action, refusing to operate public service systems and databases.
The regional rally takes place from 8.30am at People’s Park, Newtown Road, Waterford.
