Northern Ireland set for disruption this week as local government workers to strike

Workers affiliated with Unite the Union voted overwhelmingly to take part in the industrial action due to an ongoing pay dispute with councils

Disruption is expected across Northern Ireland as workers across a number of public services strike over pay.

Waste collection, leisure and street cleaning services are expected to be disrupted this week as local government workers walk out for five days.

The Education Authority says school bus services and school dinners could also be impacted.

Union members are striking for improved pay at all 11 councils, the Education Authority, the NI Housing Executive, North West Regional College, Belfast Metropolitan College, St Columb’s College, South Eastern Regional College, Lumen Christi College and the Northern Regional College.

In separate strike action, University and College Union (UCU) members at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University walked out for five days in UK-wide university disputes over pension cuts and deteriorating pay and conditions.

Councils across Northern Ireland warned people to anticipate disruption to services as the week progresses.

Belfast City Council and Derry and Strabane District Council said waste collection and street cleansing could be reduced.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council cautioned residents that leisure services will be scaled back due to the industrial action.

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Unite called on employers to table an increased pay offer "to meet punishing living costs" and to avoid disruption to services due to strikes.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said the decision displayed her members' determination to find a solution that allows them to cope with the rising cost of living. The councils say that pay rises for local government employees are agreed at a national level and they could not negotiate separately with Unite members as individual councils.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said they were "extremely surprised and disappointed" with Unite's decision.

The move to strike will see staff from a range of services out of work across the week. The exact nature of service disruption will vary based on which staff are striking in each council area.

Belfast City Council said services including refuse collection, recycling plants and even the zoo could be impacted. They anticipate around 350 city council staff will take part in the strike.

Derry City and Strabane District Council also warned refuse services could be reduced during the week and public parks and play areas may be closed in that time.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has stated that certain leisure services will have to be reduced from Monday to Friday.

Antrim Forum, Sixmile and Valley Leisure Centres will only open from 8am to 8pm daily and will have their swimming pools closed.Unite announced their strike on Monday the 14th of March. They claimed the offered pay increases of 1.75% annually amounted to a pay cut in real terms due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The union says their workers have seen "falls in their standards of living of 11 percent" due to pay stagnation over the past decade.

The councils claim Unite is attempting to forego the national collective bargaining agreement between local government workers and employers.

Belfast Council say the 2021-22 pay award was agreed by the majority of Trade Unions and that "there is no national pay dispute".