If you are in a union, ring them first
Checked 13 Oct 2026the ICTU directory.
Unions advise and represent members at the WRC at no charge to the member, which is why every dismissal, discipline and bullying guide on this site says to ring yours before anything else. This page is the directory and the answers to the questions people type. There is no enquiry form here, and no union pays this site.
The directory
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions lists its member unions by sector: ICTU: find a union. The list below is a starting point, checked 2026-10-13; the directory is authoritative.
| Union | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| SIPTU | General union: manufacturing, health, services, transport, construction, retail, hospitality, public service |
| Fórsa | Public service: civil service, health, local authorities, education support, semi-state, aviation |
| Mandate | Retail, bar and administrative workers |
| Unite the Union | Manufacturing, engineering, construction, transport, finance, health, community |
| INMO | Nurses and midwives |
| INTO | Primary teachers |
| ASTI | Second-level teachers |
| TUI | Second-level, further and higher education teachers and lecturers |
| IFUT | University teachers and researchers |
| Connect Trade Union | Electricians, plumbers, pipefitters and other craft workers |
| TSSA | Transport and travel staff |
| Financial Services Union | Banking, insurance and financial services |
| Communications Workers' Union | Post, telecoms and call centres |
| Medical Laboratory Scientists Association | Medical scientists |
| Psychiatric Nurses Association | Psychiatric nurses and ambulance personnel (NASRA) |
| AHCPS | Higher civil and public servants |
| Irish Medical Organisation | Doctors |
| Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union | Food production |
| NUJ | Journalists |
| Irish Equity | Performers |
Questions people ask
Can I join a union on my own, if nobody else at work is in one?
Yes. Joining a union is an individual decision and your employer cannot treat you less favourably for it; dismissal for union membership needs no minimum service to claim. Your employer does not have to negotiate with a union it does not recognise, but a union can still advise and represent you individually, including at the WRC.
Does a union represent me at the WRC for free?
Representation at the WRC is part of membership for most unions, with no charge to the member. Unions normally need you to have been a member for a period before the problem arose, so joining after a dismissal may not bring representation for that dismissal, though advice is often still available.
Can my employer stop me joining?
No. The Constitution protects the right to join a union and the Unfair Dismissals Acts make dismissal for membership or activity automatically unfair. Victimisation for union activity can also be an industrial-relations dispute at the WRC.
Which union is right for my job?
The ICTU directory lists its member unions by sector. Many workplaces have an agreed union; ask a colleague or a shop steward. If none applies, SIPTU and Unite are general unions that take most occupations.
Not in a union, and the free routes are not enough? Whether you need a solicitor at the WRC, honestly, and then the enquiry page.
Information, not legal advice. No union pays EmploymentWise and none is ranked here. The list is alphabetical by sector coverage as ICTU describes it. Last verified 2026-10-13. EmploymentWise is an independent site, not affiliated with the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the Department of Social Protection, Revenue or any trade union. It covers the Republic of Ireland only. For decisions about your own situation, speak to your union or a solicitor regulated by the Law Society of Ireland.