School secretaries and caretakers are set to take to the picket lines from Monday, September 1st, in a national strike for better pay and working conditions.

The action comes as these essential school staff members highlight a significant disparity in their employment terms compared to their teaching and Special Needs Assistant colleagues.

The workers are demanding access to public sector pensions, which are currently unavailable to them.

They also lack the same sick leave and bereavement leave entitlements as other school staff. For caretakers, the situation is even more precarious, as they are not directly employed by the Department of Education and are not on the public sector payroll.

Brian, a caretaker of 22 years, attended a national rally in Dublin on Thursday, August 28th, expressing his concern about his financial security after retirement.

He fears how he will survive without a pension.

The refusal to grant a pension scheme to these workers, who are vital to the functioning of schools, has been widely criticised.

Supporters argue that the campaign for better rights for secretaries and caretakers is in the interest of all workers, and they are urging the public to show their support on the picket lines.