School secretaries across Ireland have entered their fifth day of strike action, with growing support from parents and the public. Among them is Jessica, a school secretary from Wexford, who has worked in the role for 18 years.
Jessica says the job has changed dramatically since she started. What began as a part-time admin position has grown into a full-time role requiring technical training, multitasking and the ability to manage complex systems—all without the same rights as other education staff. “This strike isn’t about pay,” Jessica explains. “It’s about fairness—pension rights, sick leave and being treated equally to staff doing the same work in other schools.” She also highlighted how the role of secretary is often overlooked because it is predominantly held by women. “People think we just answer phones, but the job involves far more than that. We’re the first point of contact for parents, staff and even builders during school projects.” Jessica says missing the first day of school this year was “heartbreaking,” but she and her colleagues are determined to keep fighting until the government commits to resolving the issue. “We don’t want to be on strike. We want to be at work. But enough is enough.” Listen back here to Jessica's story [audio wav="https://www.southeastradio.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/JESSICAEMBARGOTILLWEDNESDAYMORN.wav"][/audio]
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