Oberstown Staff Take Stand as System Runs on Empty

Workers at Oberstown children's detention campus have begun a work-to-rule today, after Fórsa union members voted 91% in favour of industrial action. The dispute over chronic understaffing reveals a system sustained by overtime and running on fumes, with both staff and the young people in their care paying the price.

Why Are Oberstown Workers Taking Industrial Action?

There's a quiet dignity in showing up to do your job, day after day, knowing the odds are stacked against you. At Oberstown, that dignity has been stretched to its breaking point. Fórsa members are refusing to work beyond rostered hours or take on overtime, a measured response from workers who say staffing levels are severely stretched and pose a real risk to their safety.

Managers, according to one worker who spoke on condition of anonymity, are reliant on overtime just to keep the campus running.