Staff in Ireland's education sector have been urged to accept the new Croke Park deal.

IMPACT has called on employees to back the agreement because valuable protections for the most vulnerable workers could be lost should it be rejected

Gina O'Brien, chairperson of the education division of the trade union, which has around 10,000 members, was speaking at the inaugural conference of the division in Kilkenny and said it angered her to see higher paid and better protected employees calling on others to vote against the agreement's protections.

Ms O'Brien stated: "It is dishonest and irresponsible to sow fear and confusion among ordinary workers - especially lower-paid staff with big housing and childcare costs, who have no access to overtime."

She added that despite concerns being raised that administrative staff could face wage cuts as a consequence of the deal, there will be no reduction in core pay for workers earning less than €65,000 a year.

In addition, the chairs of the four branches of IMPACT that represent more than 6,000 special needs assistants have also lent their backing to the new Croke Park deal.

Written by Donal Walsh

Comments