Rail and bus strikes are 'severely damaging' for hospitality and retail says sector chief

Northern Ireland’s hospitality and retail sectors have continued appeals for transport unions to call off planned strike action during the run-up to Christmas, as all bus and train services were suspended for a second consecutive day on Saturday.

There has been widespread disruption across Northern Ireland due to the strike action from Unite, GMB and Siptu union members who are pursuing a pay increase.

The action started at 12.01am on Friday and was to continue until 12.01am on Sunday.

Another strike is planned for next Friday, December 22.

The Unite union has said blame for the strikes rests with the Northern Ireland Secretary, saying a recent pay freeze instigated by Chris Heaton-Harris amounts to a real-terms pay cut of 11.4% when inflation is factored in.

The strike action comes as talks between the Northern Ireland parties and the Government over a £2.5 billion package to stabilise finances in the region are to resume on Monday.

GMB regional organiser for Translink, Peter Macklin, said: ““The reality is that Mr Heaton-Harris is now openly seeking to weaponise the suffering of public sector workers and the general public to blackmail the parties to do a deal.”

However, Colin Neill, of Hospitality Ulster, said the strikes are “severely damaging the industry”.

“We have appealed to the unions relentlessly to call off the strike, particularly when the dynamic and the politics have changed so much.

“We have all the parties in Hillsborough talking so there’s hope that we might get our politicians back in the Assembly and that will mean that Translink get a budget and the unions get a pay negotiation.

“I honestly think they are totally wrong that this strike will have any impact on the decisions at Hillsborough. In fact, it takes the focus away.”

Glyn Roberts, of Retail NI, said the timing of the strike action “leaves a lot to be desired” for the retail and hospitality sectors in run-up to Christmas.

“A lot of members do feel that they are being targeted by the strike and we’ve asked the unions to pause next week’s action while the ongoing talks at Hillsborough continue because a big part of those talks is money to pay for public-sector workers, to get them to the pay increase that they do deserve.”

Mr Roberts acknowledged that the suspension of bus and rail services will have an impact on customer levels, with one member also reporting that 75% of his staff rely on public transport to get to work.

“I was in Belfast city centre last night and I was really surprised to see how quiet it was on one of the biggest nights of the year.

“So, I hope the unions will listen to the concerns that both retail and hospitality sectors have raised with them and I hope they would pause the strike as a gesture of goodwill while these talks continue.

“The only way they’re going to get the pay increase which they deserve is a successful agreement at Hillsborough.”

The industrial action follows a previous one-day strike by bus and rail workers this month.

The Northern Ireland Office has said the UK Government has no authority to negotiate pay in Northern Ireland and it is for the relevant devolved department to make final decisions.

However, it said Mr Heaton-Harris is engaged in talks with the region’s main political parties to discuss how the Government can help support sustainability in Northern Ireland’s public finances, following the return of an Executive.

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