An indefinite strike by school secretaries and caretakers has entered a fresh school week.
An estimated 2,500 secretaries and caretakers are engaging in the action in pursuit of public service pensions and entitlements enjoyed by other school workers such as SNAs and teachers.
Trade union Fórsa has said it is heartened by support from schools and the public but disappointed by a lack of engagement from the Government.
Exploratory talks took place last Wednesday at the Workplace Relations Commission but the union said no proposals have been brought that could form the basis for negotiations.
Watch: SNAs explain their support for the industrial actions
Two classes for autistic children are closed today after SNAs at a Dublin primary school refused to pass a picket placed at the school gates by secretaries and a caretaker who are on strike.
Thirteen SNAs at St Catherine's Infant School in Cabra have remained at the school gates this morning and the school has closed its two autism classes on health and safety grounds as a result.
The SNAs said they had no choice but to support their two secretary colleagues and their caretaker.
A senior school and a junior school are on the grounds and each has one secretary.
SNA Niamh O'Reilly told RTÉ News they could not pass the picket because "they are just looking for what we have".
She outlined a situation where last year the school secretary was ill but received no sick pay: "It's about respect. If any of the rest of us are sick, we get paid."
SNA Fiona Craven explained how she had spent a year on a picket line as a Debenhams worker, "so I understand the injustice of not getting what you should be entitled to, and how important it is that we all stick together".
The SNAs say they regret the difficulty the closure of the special classes has caused for pupils and their parents.
"I have two autistic children so I understand how they need their routine. But we also have to show our support for our colleagues. We have to balance that, and also we have to teach our children that other people need our support," SNA Sarah Byrne said.
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The trade union Fórsa has stressed to SNA members that they have no mandate to strike and should not join picket lines. It said while it recognised that the SNAs' actions were driven by their genuine support for their school secretary and caretaker colleagues, "the union has nevertheless continued to advise SNAs to continue to attend for work".
Parent Lisa Hanley was also at the picket at the school gates. She described how her daughter Lennie had had a "meltdown" this morning at the prospect of not being able to attend school. Lennie is autistic.
The school agreed to allow Lennie attend a mainstream classroom today. But Ms Hanley remains fully supportive of the SNAs and the school's secretary and caretaker. "Why can’t they have a pension like the rest of the [staff]? They have to stick together as a school and as a community. That’s what we are all about," she added.
Principal Katie Harte said parents had been notified last night about the closure of the two special classes. She said care needs were being met in the mainstream classes.
"We all really support the secretaries and caretakers. We think they have a very valid cause. Each SNA can make their own decisions and if that is their decision not to cross the picket line then that is their decision," she said.
She described her school secretary as an "amazing" person who is "the heart and soul of the school".
It comes as a special school in Carlow that was closed last week as a result of the strike was to reopen this morning after a last-minute agreement was reached.
SNAs had refused to pass a picket placed at the school gate by the secretary of Saplings Special School, and last night were indicating that this morning again they would not pass the picket.
RTÉ News understands that an undertaking was given early this morning that no picket would be placed on the school.
SNAs at the Carlow school told RTÉ News on Friday that they felt they had no option but to support their secretary colleague by joining her on the picket line.
However, last night the parents of one child attending Saplings school described the SNAs' action as "cruel". They were speaking when it looked like the school would remain closed today.
"They have absolutely no business standing with their colleagues. The school is there to teach children. They have cast our children aside," the mother said.
The parents did not wish for themselves or their child to be identified.
Fórsa's head of Education Andy Pike said: "This morning pickets will take place outside schools the length and breadth of the country. We have been heartened by the support we have received so far from everyone who works in schools and from the public.
"However, we are disappointed that the Government haven't taken any steps over the weekend to resolve this dispute."
He stressed that their lack of engagement does nothing to help resolve the dispute.
"The Government should listen to their own back bench TDs as well as the public and take the necessary steps to resolve this dispute now, before further disruption impacts children and families," Mr Pike said.
"Right now, there is no WRC process, no talks, and no effort on the Government side to resolve the situation."
Chair of the union's school secretaries branch Luisa Carty said the response from teachers, SNAs and parents have strengthened their resolve.
"We're at the heart of communities across this country. We want to be back at work, but so far the Government haven't made any proposals on pension provision, even though we know teachers, SNAs and parents support us," she said.
Chair of the school caretakers branch David Hearne said: "It's blatantly unfair that our colleagues benefit from the pension and leave entitlements that come from having public servant status, but we don't. It's even more unfair when you consider that in schools run by Education and Training boards secretaries and caretakers already benefit from exactly what we're fighting for."
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