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Unite members plan to join more than a dozen other unions in striking
One of Northern Ireland’s main trade unions has confirmed that public transport members will take part in a major strike later on January 18th.
Unite’s deputy regional secretary said there was a build-up of frustration and anger among trade unions.
Members of 14 trade unions across the public sector will take action on the same day.
Unions claim this is the biggest strike in Northern Ireland’s history.
Unite has announced that 8,000 of its members, including 2,300 TransLink staff, will take part in industrial action as part of an ongoing pay dispute.
“Lack of investment”
Unite deputy regional secretary Davey Thompson told BBC’s Good Morning Ulster program he acknowledged the action would have an impact on the public.
“I would like to ask this question: Will next Thursday’s impact on the public be greater than decades of underinvestment in public services? I think no,” he said. .
“Lack of investment is wreaking havoc on public services across Northern Ireland, impacting everyone in Northern Ireland.
“We now have a Secretary of State who has made it clear just before Christmas that he has the money and just doesn’t want to pay it.
“He seems to be using people as political leverage, which is absolutely wrong.”
Siptu members from GMB and Translink will also take part in the strike.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will not allow workers’ livelihoods and public service funding to be used as a bargaining chip by this government.”
stormont negotiations
Northern Ireland has not had a devolved government since the Democratic Unionist Party left the country nearly two years ago in protest of post-Brexit trade rules.
Wage issues led to a series of strikes by medical workers, civil servants, teachers, and other workers.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office said the Secretary of State and the Government had no power to negotiate public sector pay in Northern Ireland.
“It is the relevant department in NI that negotiates pay policy,” the spokesperson said.
“The Secretary of State expressed his disappointment that the new executive was not ready to take up this proposal and deliver it to the people of Northern Ireland by Christmas.
“Now is the time for all NI parties to come together, restore government and start tackling the challenges facing the people of Northern Ireland, including public sector pay.”
Which trade unions are on strike?
A total of 14 unions have announced that they will take action on January 18th.
- British Dietetic Association (BDA)
- Society of Certified Physical Therapists (CSP)
- GMB
- Irish National Teachers Organization (INTO)
- Society of Radiological Technologists (SoR)
- Shiptu
- National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)
- National Association of School Teachers and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT)
- Nipsa
- Royal College of Midwives (RCM)
- Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
- Ulster Teachers’ Union (UTU)
- unison
- unite
These unions have approximately 173,000 workers, but not all of them will go on strike.