Union of Secondary Students

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The Union of Secondary Students (USS) was founded in January 2001 by Shane O Donnell, Lorcan Fox, Graham Barry, Carly-Anne Gannon and Lyndsey O Connell. With the help of the Union of Students in Ireland, the founders set up a meeting, which took place in UCD on 28 March 2001.

1 About the USS
2 Achievements
3 Criticisms
4 Presidents
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] About the USS

The Union campaigns for the rights of Students and has a close working relationship with The Department of Education and Science, The National Children's Office, the NYCI, NCCA, NPCPP, CPA, and USI. They are also a member of the Organizing Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU). In April 2004 they voted to accept membership from students in Northern Ireland and, as of 21 May 2005, the Union of Secondary Students has a registered membership of 47,000 students in the Republic of Ireland, representing approximately 14% of the second level students in the country. The USS is criticized by many for its close ties with the Government, and not having many ties with secondary students.^{[citation needed]} Many former officers were in Government parties and have argued against protests.

The work of the USS falls into three strands:

To provide training, guidance and advice to students and also equipping them with vital skills which they can use to become involved with decision making in their school community.
To work in partnership with other organizations to spread the views of secondary school students.
To provide a service to the membership of the union on the basis that control lies within the membership.

[edit] Achievements

On the 2nd of April 2001 the newly formed Union of Secondary Students declared a national student strike in response to unresolved teacher strikes which had persisted. The student strike lasted a mere 4 days but had profound impact and turned public opinion against the teachers who re-entered the classroom a week later.

In early 2005 the organization successfully exploited the website ratemyteachers.ie as a bargaining tool with the Department of Education, leading to a number of notable achievements including, increased school inspections and publication of school inspection reports.

[edit] Criticisms

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Many have criticized office holders within the Union for their close ties to political parties and organizations and their condemnation of mass student action around the country.^{[citation needed]} One notable exception to this was Oisín O' Reilly, a former Deputy President/ Campaigns Officer who advocated mass protests on numerous occasions.^{[citation needed]}

Some have questioned the Union's lack of financial management and its failures to publish audited accounts or to submit accounts to the Companies Registration Office, in accordance will Irish law. The Union has not commented about the issue and refuses to do so.^{[citation needed]}