Oberstown Fórsa members to take part in work stoppage

Fórsa union members at Oberstown Children Detention Campus will participate in an eight-hour work stoppage on the following day. The action, which will be from 9am to 5pm, is a result of an ongoing dispute regarding resourcing and safe staffing at the campus. This is the second in a series of weekly work stoppages, with additional stoppages planned for August 18th and 25th.

The industrial action follows a ballot of Fórsa members, finalized in May, which approved industrial action, including a potential full withdrawal of labor. Oberstown staff have been engaged in a work-to-rule action since June 25th. Union negotiators and management at the center were unable to reach an agreement on key issues. The union expressed frustration at the absence of a Department of Children representative.

Fórsa national secretary Hazel Nolan stated that safe staffing has been a long-standing concern for staff and that members are seeking a lasting solution. Both parties agree that staff safety and the safety of the young people at Oberstown are inseparable. However, discussions have broken down as Oberstown refuses to include key elements of Fórsa's claim in the business case presented to the department.

This includes measures to address recruitment difficulties faced by the service. Management contends that these issues should be addressed separately through local bargaining, while acknowledging the insufficient budget allocated to local bargaining. Fórsa cannot proceed with a process they know will not resolve the claim. The union emphasized that their members need a genuine, long-term solution to safe staffing, and that remains their pursuit.