Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Northern Ireland strike: everything you need to know ahead of ‘unprecedented’ day of action by 15 unions

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These include teachers, healthcare workers, civil servants, bus and train drivers and PSNI staff.

The public can expect widespread disruption to all these services and more.

NI Health and Social Care Trust chief executives said Thursday’s planned strike action would have a “significant impact” on services.

In a joint statement, the companies warned that the strike would impact services on a “massive and unprecedented scale.”

Meanwhile, education authorities have warned that widespread disruption to education caused by future strike action will have a further negative impact on children and young people across Northern Ireland.

Which trade unions are on strike?

A total of 15 trade unions announced they would take action.

  • British Dietetic Association (BDA)
  • Society of Certified Physical Therapists (CSP)
  • Irish National Teachers Organization (INTO)
  • Society of Radiological Technologists (SoR)
  • National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)
  • National Association of School Teachers and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT)
  • National Education Union (NEU)
  • Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
  • Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
  • Ulster Teachers’ Union (UTU)

Why do they take action?

Unions said the “unprecedented demonstrations” came two years after the Stormont Executive remained non-functional after the DUP collapsed the institution in protest against Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade deal. claims.

The union says this is leading to “paralysis across public sector services and an escalation of the crisis”.

The Government has provided around £584m to address public sector pay issues as part of more than £3.3bn of financial measures to bring back Northern Ireland executives.

However, a pre-Christmas deal to rebuild Stormont has been ruled out by the DUP, who will engage further with the Government in the coming days and weeks on “substantive and outstanding issues that need to be addressed towards securing a deal”. Then he said.

Unions are calling on the NI Secretary to free up funding, but the country’s top civil servant has written to Chris Heaton-Harris saying “urgent action is needed” to tackle pay inequality in the public sector. “It has said. Jane Brady said she recognized that political engagement around the formation of an executive unit was at a “delicate and critical juncture” and the need to “avoid any action that might cross that process”. .

Chris Heaton-Harris earlier said he saw “no barriers” to the creation of an executive unit at this time and said he would make a decision on how to proceed if it was not established by Friday.

He did not rule out the possibility of holding new parliamentary elections, adding that if power-sharing was not restored, Parliament would enact legislation on the governance of NI next week.

parade

Six parades will be held in Belfast on Thursday, three sponsored by the NI Committee, the Irish Trades Union Congress and three by Unite the Union.

These include those departing from the Mater Hospital and from Lisburn Road, Short Strand, Dunclue Street and Falls Road, passing through Belfast City Hospital.

They lead to Belfast Town Hall, where the speeches will take place.

Fermanagh Trade Union Council will hold a parade in Enniskillen.

Derry Trades Union Council has organized two parades, one starting from Altnagelvin Hospital and the other from Strand Road, both converging at the Guildhall.

Omagh Trade Union Council will start the parade from Clevna Road and finish in High Street.

Impact of snowfall on road services

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has warned that many services may be disrupted.

With cold weather forecast this week, industrial action will disrupt winter gritting services.

While possible contingency plans are in place, widespread disruption is expected on Thursday, impacting the following services:

  • Winter service – sanding the road network.
  • Repairing critical infrastructure deficiencies such as collapsed manholes and potholes.
  • Prioritize support for accidents that have the greatest impact on life and property.
  • Response and cleanup work in the event of an accident such as an oil spill or unexpected debris on the road.
  • Cleaning and purification of wastewater infrastructure.
  • MOT service and driving test.
  • Strangford Ferry Service;
  • The ability to respond to flood emergencies will be significantly reduced.
  • There will be significant delays in responding to calls to the Flood Incident Line.

Immediately after the day of action, GMB and Unite members will continue their campaign campaign for a week until 26 January 2024.

Again, this affects polishing services.



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