A special school in Carlow was closed today while most of the children attending a special school in Dublin were asked to stay at home after Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) refused to pass picket lines of striking school secretaries and caretakers.
School secretaries and caretakers are engaging in strike action today and are attending regional rallies across the country to highlight their demands for public sector pensions and other entitlements.
More than 2,600 school secretaries and caretakers, who are members of the Fórsa trade union, began indefinite strike action yesterday.
Saplings Special School in Co Carlow employs more than 17 SNAs.
The principal told RTÉ News that most of the SNAs made the decision not to cross the picket line and this has left the school unable to operate because it has insufficient staff.
"Obviously parents are disappointed that the school is closed," Lesley Brant said.
"The situation is not ideal. The school board has written to the SNAs asking them to consider the impact, but obviously it is out of the board's hands.
"The board supports our secretary and caretaker. We value the work that they do and without our secretary the school could not function."
Ms Brant said she is concerned about what will happen on Monday.
She said the school is hopeful that the department can act and bring the strike to an end.
Teachers at the school passed the picket this morning but have been going out at intervals to support the school secretary at the school gates.
Ms Brant said parents "while they are disappointed, they do support the strike".
Speaking on the picket line outside the school, SNA Barbara Collins said: "I have to stand with my secretary. She is the heart and soul of our school. I cannot pass her picket."
SNA Gillian Cunningham added: "We call ourselves the Saplings family and we cannot walk past a family member. [The school secretary] has been part of our school community for 18 years. She was fundamental in setting up the school back then."
The SNAs may not be paid for today or yesterday because their action is not permitted under strike legislation.
On losing pay, Ms Cunningham said: "The disruption this is causing for the children is heartbreaking and that pains us. We will get over the pay but that is the hardest thing.
"[Our secretary] works alongside us and she is not getting the same rights or respect that we receive. It is blatant discrimination and we cannot stand by that."
Many SNAs are also Fórsa members. The Fórsa website advises them that "as SNA members have not been balloted for industrial action, we cannot ask you to join the strike".
However the union's Frequently Asked Questions section goes on to say that "any SNA member who makes an individual decision not to cross a picket line will receive appropriate support and representation from Fórsa if any issues arise as a consequence".
Most students at Clondalkin school asked to stay home
Most of the children attending Scoil Mochua special school in Clondalkin in Dublin were asked to stay at home today because the majority of the school's SNAs refused to pass the picket of striking school secretaries and caretakers.
It is understood that only around 30 of the school's 69 students could be accommodated because of the shortage of staff.
Fórsa's Head of Education Andy Pike said it was regrettable that schools were being forced to close but that he understands that some SNAs want to support their colleagues.
"We said to SNAs, before the strike started, that they're not being asked to take part in the industrial action. They haven't been balloted so they should work normally, and if they want to show support for the secretaries and the caretakers, they can do so before school starts by going out and standing with them when they're picketing, or by going out at the lunchtime or the end of the day," Mr Pike said.
"I think what's happening is that people are very reluctant to pass the picket line and the sooner this is brought to a conclusion, the better, because the longer this rolls on, the longer the industrial action has to continue, the more disruption there's going to be."
"What I'd say to our SNA members is, this could backfire on the secretary and caretakers' campaign," Mr Pike said.
"So we would ask you to make sure schools can open, if you want to support your colleagues you can do so in the morning before work, at lunchtime and make that support as vibrant, loud and big as you can," he added
"I think it's regrettable that any school has to close under any circumstances, including because of industrial action."
"So again, I'd call on the Government to make a move, do something, get back in the WRC, or do something, make an intervention that brings us this to an end," he added.
Watch: School secretaries and caretakers protest in Cork
Meanwhile, Gort Community School in Galway informed parents today that it would be continuing with a reduced capacity next week due to the strike.
First, third and sixth years will attend on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with second, fifth and transition years attending on Tuesday and Thursday.
"The Board will consider further steps to address the continuity of our student's education if the situation continues long-term including the possibility of online classes for some students," the school said.
Dept of Education 'ready and willing to meet with Fórsa' - McEntee
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said her department is willing and ready to meet with Fórsa at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to resolve the dispute.
"I believe that our caretakers and secretaries are absolutely vital and at the heart of our schools," Ms McEntee said.
"I believe we've made progress in recent years on general terms and conditions but I also believe that we can and should make more progress."
"Issues like this get resolved when people come together so my department, working closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, who are crucial to this, are willing and ready to sit in the WRC with Fórsa to make sure we can resolve this as soon as possible," she added.
On Wednesday, exploratory talks at the WRC failed to find a basis for negotiations.
The Department of Education has instructed schools to open as normal but unions have told their members to support the striking workers by refusing to carry out the duties of secretaries and caretakers.
Some schools have issued updates to parents warning that there will disruptions in areas such as office access, the answering of phone calls and replying to emails.
