Industrial action is taking place in Northern Ireland, with three trade unions – Unite, Siptu and GMB – participating in strike action over pay. Last week, two days of strike action disrupted public bus and train services. This will be the fourth day of action since the start of the month, impacting what is normally a very busy time of year for trading, footfall and activity. Normal timetables will resume on 23 December following Friday’s action.
Representatives from all three unions said they will meet early in the new year to identify further strike dates. Alan Perry of GMB said that members had been forced into this action and apologised for its impact on businesses.
Translink has previously said it could not increase pay because it did not receive a budget for it from the Department for Infrastructure. Money to settle public sector pay claims was part of the financial package offered during talks aimed at restoring the executive, but talks ended without agreement on Tuesday. Translink said it remained committed to “entering constructive pay negotiations” but added that “this situation impacts all public sector workers and needs to be resolved at the NI Executive level.”
Some business owners have criticised the timing of the action, which is causing cancellations and lost trade in a vital period for the retail and hospitality sectors. Belfast Chamber chief executive Clare Guinness has said that there is sympathy for the cause and for the right to strike but that the fourth day of action in a month felt “heavy-handed”. She went on to say, “I don’t think today is going to make any difference to negotiations or any pay packet…but it will be a huge cost to retail and hospitality.”
Adrian Fleming, a veteran bus driver who has been working in Limavady for almost 28 years and is with the trade union Unite, expressed his frustration at having to strike. He said, “We just want people to listen to us and get a pay rise that we need, everything is just going up and people are struggling”. He added that he hopes sufficient pay is offered soon and further strike action can be called off
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