Specialist Residential Schools' Collective Agreement

This Agreement together with any relevant legislation and codes of practice shall be made readily available to all employees. 

10.2.1 The parties are committed to the principle of implementation of equality of employment opportunity. All terms and conditions of employment are to be implemented on that basis and in particular noting the requirements of sections 77A and 77D of sections 597 and 600 of the Education and Training Act 2020(external link).

10.3.1 The employer recognises the right of employees to belong to a union and organise collectively.  Consistent with this:

10.3.2 The employer will allow employees to attend on ordinary pay union meetings for up to 4 hours per year, subject to:

1. 1. The union shall give the employer at least 14 days notice of the date and time of any meeting to be held during working hours;
   2. The union shall make such arrangements with the employer as may be necessary to ensure that the employer's business is maintained during any union meeting, including, where appropriate, an arrangement for sufficient union members to remain available during the meeting to enable the employer's operation to continue;
   3. Work shall resume as soon as practicable after the meeting, but the employer shall not be obliged to pay any union member for a period greater than 2 hours in respect of any meeting;
   4. Only union members who actually attend a union meeting shall be entitled to pay in respect of that meeting and to that end the union shall supply the employer with a list of members who attended and shall advise the time the meeting finished.

10.3.3 Subject to the Employment Relations Act 2000, any authorised officer of the PSA shall, with the consent of the employer (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), be entitled to enter at all reasonable times upon the premises for the purpose of interviewing any workers represented by the union, or enforcing this agreement, including access to wages, holiday and time records, providing this does not interfere with class programmes/session times.

10.3.4 The employer undertakes to provide for the continued collection of union subscriptions by automatic deduction from wages/salaries, when authorised in writing by members, retaining an administration fee of 2.5 per cent.

10.3.5 Recognition of Delegate:

1. 1. The employer recognises the role of union delegate and where reasonable/practicable, will make facilities and time available to enable the delegate to fulfil his/her role, including attendance at occasional training sessions provided by the PSA.
   2. As part of the initial induction process for new staff, provide for an introduction to the union delegate and offer the PSA a session in any training course for new employees.

From 11 December 2022 until 30 April 2025 except as provided under the Employment Relations Act 2000(external link).