NORTHERN IRELAND
Unions notify Translink of further planned strike action
Public transport workers have staged a number of strikes in the region in recent months (Liam McBurney/PA)
Eimear McGovern
Wed 21 Feb 2024
Transport staff have warned Translink they will strike for another three days next week unless a deal is struck on pay.
The Unite, GMB and Siptu unions said Translink had been notified of 72-hour strike action.
In a statement, a Translink spokesperson said: “While we have received formal notification of industrial action next week on 27th, 28th and 29th February, we continue to engage with our Trade Union colleagues regarding this proposed action.
“Services are scheduled to operate as normal at present.
“Any updates will be added to our website: www.translink.co.uk/industrialaction ”
It's after unions said no pay offers have so far been made. They said the strike would go ahead unless an acceptable offer was made.
Speaking to the BBC, hospitality chief Colin Neill appealed to workers to remain around the table.
"We think Translink people are entitled to a pay rise but that has to be through a negotiated process," he said.
"The damage to other industries will be severe. People can't get to us. It will be another body blow, our industry is strained to the hilt," he said. "Please think beyond the damage you will do if you pull strikes like this before proper negotiations have taken place."
Meanwhile, the GMB union said school staff are also likely to strike.
They met Education Minister Paul Givan on Tuesday - who previously said the public sector budget was not sufficient to make a pay offer.
Further strike action which was originally scheduled by February had been suspended to give the Executive time to "make an improved pay offer".
It's after they walked out over a number of days in December and January.
Meanwhile, earlier this week junior doctors in Northern Ireland confirmed they would strike for the first time when they take part in a 24-hour walkout on March 6-7.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said they had no other choice after 97.6% of junior doctors backed the strike action.
Dr Fiona Griffin, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland junior doctors committee, said they owe it to themselves to act. She said: "We have had 16 years of pay erosion which now amounts to over 30% loss of pay, yet in this time our workload and burnout levels have risen.”
It comes just weeks after a massive strike in Northern Ireland, which saw 16 trade unions and tens of thousands of public sector workers take part.
A £3.3bn package is due to be released by the Government now that Stormont has been restored. About £580m of that is to settle public-sector pay claims.
Transport staff have warned Translink they will strike for another three days next week unless a deal is struck on pay.
The Unite, GMB and Siptu unions said Translink had been notified of 72-hour strike action.
In a statement, a Translink spokesperson said: “While we have received formal notification of industrial action next week on 27th, 28th and 29th February, we continue to engage with our Trade Union colleagues regarding this proposed action.
“Services are scheduled to operate as normal at present.
“Any updates will be added to our website: www.translink.co.uk/industrialaction ”
It's after unions said no pay offers have so far been made. They said the strike would go ahead unless an acceptable offer was made.
Speaking to the BBC, hospitality chief Colin Neill appealed to workers to remain around the table.
"We think Translink people are entitled to a pay rise but that has to be through a negotiated process," he said.
"The damage to other industries will be severe. People can't get to us. It will be another body blow, our industry is strained to the hilt," he said. "Please think beyond the damage you will do if you pull strikes like this before proper negotiations have taken place."
Meanwhile, the GMB union said school staff are also likely to strike.
They met Education Minister Paul Givan on Tuesday - who previously said the public sector budget was not sufficient to make a pay offer.
Further strike action which was originally scheduled by February had been suspended to give the Executive time to "make an improved pay offer".
It's after they walked out over a number of days in December and January.
Meanwhile, earlier this week junior doctors in Northern Ireland confirmed they would strike for the first time when they take part in a 24-hour walkout on March 6-7.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said they had no other choice after 97.6% of junior doctors backed the strike action.
Dr Fiona Griffin, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland junior doctors committee, said they owe it to themselves to act. She said: "We have had 16 years of pay erosion which now amounts to over 30% loss of pay, yet in this time our workload and burnout levels have risen.”
It comes just weeks after a massive strike in Northern Ireland, which saw 16 trade unions and tens of thousands of public sector workers take part.
A £3.3bn package is due to be released by the Government now that Stormont has been restored. About £580m of that is to settle public-sector pay claims.
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