Kildare schools join strike for pension parity
Staff of St Corbans BNS and Mercy Convent Primary School pictured outside St Corbans BNS, Naas during the Fórsa Secetary and Caretakers strike pictured St Corban's Boys National School Photo: Aishling Conway Photo - Aishling Conway 1st September 2025
KILDARE schools have been taking part in the nationwide strike fighting for secretaries and caretakers to be classed as public servants along with others in the education sector, which would entitle them to a public service pension and other benefits.
Represented by trade union Fórsa, the strikes began last week after engagement with the Work Relations Commission concluded without coming to an agreement on whether to admit secretaries and caretakers into the public service pension scheme.
Fórsa wrote online that the WRC informed the union that they had “concluded” and that “the gap between the two parties is too far apart for any resolution at this point in time.”
The union has also expressed disappointment at the lack of engagement from the Department of Education over the weekend to resolve the ongoing situation.
Over 2,600 Fórsa members are asking for access to public sector pensions and other key entitlements.
Post-primary teachers’ unions ASTI and TUI, as well as primary school union INTO, have instructed their members not to take on any of the secretaries and caretakers’ roles during the strike action
