Fórsa members at Oberstown to escalate strike action
Members of the Fórsa trade union employed at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Dublin are to escalate their industrial action in a dispute over resourcing and staffing levels.
Fórsa trade union members at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Dublin are set to intensify their industrial action over staffing and resourcing issues. The workers will conduct a 12-hour strike tomorrow and a 48-hour strike starting Monday, August 31st. This marks the fourth strike in a series of weekly work stoppages that commenced earlier this month.
Fórsa claims there will be no exceptions for social care work during the strike, with catering being the only exception. Assistant General Secretary Deirdre O'Connell stated that the ongoing action is due to members' demand for a lasting solution to ensure the safety of residents and staff. The union emphasized that the issue at Oberstown pertains to safe staffing levels for social care workers tasked with caring for a diverse group of young individuals, with a primary focus on safeguarding the wellbeing of the children.
Fórsa has offered to cooperate with Oberstown management for meaningful, solution-oriented discussions. However, Oberstown management remains deeply concerned that the planned strike, if implemented without derogation, could jeopardize the safety, security, and welfare of staff, young people, and other individuals on the campus.
Oberstown highlighted that the number of recorded incidents has decreased by approximately 29% over the past year, from 191 incidents in the first half of 2025 to 136 in the corresponding period of 2026. While acknowledging that efforts have been made to improve staffing, the center urged Fórsa to reconsider the escalation and ensure that any industrial action safeguards the welfare of young people and staff at the campus.
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