School secretaries and caretakers, who are members of the Fórsa trade union, are to be balloted on proposals on pay, pensions and leave entitlements.
Among the measures agreed at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) are pay increases for caretakers, as well as a commitment to move caretakers to a central payroll shared service operated by the Department of Education.
In July, the Labour Court recommended the issuing of lump sum payments at retirement in a bid to resolve a pensions dispute involving school secretaries and caretakers.
The row saw around 2,600 school secretaries and caretakers, who are members of the Fórsa trade union, engage in strike action for over a week at the start of the school year last year, impacting around 2,000 schools.
“The strike action by school secretaries and caretakers was suspended almost exactly a year ago on the basis that negotiations would take place to deliver comparable pension entitlements, improved sick leave, bereavement leave and a new pay structure for caretakers,” said Fórsa’s Head of Education Andy Pike.
“The final set of proposals represents the outcome of numerous engagements at the WRC and several Labour Court hearings over the past 12 months.”
“I look forward to meeting members to discuss the proposals during the consultation period ahead,” Mr Pike said.
School secretaries and caretakers will now be asked to assess the recommendations before voting on whether or not to accept them in a union ballot.