Economy minister must intervene to prevent job cut threats and provide funding for University of Ulster

Posted on April 16, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Management plans for 450 redundancies is a huge and unexpected blow to staff and the wider regional economy

Unite has blasted the scale of job cuts announced by management at the University of Ulster. The union represents more than 300 non-teaching staff across all university campuses. University authorities highlight the failure to secure adequate funding from the Stormont executive as the reason for proposals which will see approximately 14 per cent of the workforce losing their jobs.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The scale of this announcement came without any warning. Hundreds of workers with decades of commitment face the threat of losing their livelihoods. The responsibility to safeguard these jobs and the future of the university lies with management and Stormont.

“Unite will fully support its members affected by these cuts and all possible options are on the table.”

Unite workforce representatives are meeting today to discuss their next steps in response to the announcement. The union has not been provided with any breakdown or explanation for the proposals.

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Northern Ireland minister’s unfunded fare freeze creates service cuts fears

Posted on April 15, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Minister Liz Kimmins’ continued squeeze creating mounting skills shortage – impacting the most vulnerable in society

Unite has challenged Infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins on her failure to properly fund public transport services. Following the announcement that bus and rail fares would be frozen for a second year without any commitment to compensate Translink, the publicly-owned passenger transport provider.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “The minister’s decision to announce a second fare freeze must be backed up by extra funding. Without that this will mean cuts. Our members and their services will not pay the price for an unfunded publicity-driven announcement.”

Unite wrote last week to the minister about concerns that protracted underfunding had led to Translink suspending its apprenticeship program last year. Unite asked the minister to ring-fence funding for apprenticeships in Translink but she failed to offer any commitment and said ‘decisions on apprenticeship recruitment remain matters for Translink’.

In the interim she announced fares would be frozen for a second year without committing any additional funding, a decision that further reduces Translink’s available income.

Deputy regional officer Davy Thompson said, “The minister’s response to Unite’s request was little more than an insult and was followed by an announcement of a second fare freeze without any committed funding. It is basic economics that capping fares while reducing funding has to be paid through cuts elsewhere to bus and rail services or staff.”

“The failure to train engineers in-house denies young people a chance at an apprenticeship and will led to further critical skills shortages threatening the prospect of the engineering function being outsourced.

“Any attempt to undermine or privatise Translink, or threats to services, jobs, pay or conditions will be met with the full industrial force of our union.”

Unite is concerned that the suspension of Translink’s apprentice programme will now extend into a second year. That would mean at least 60 young people being denied the chance for a quality apprenticeship and the prospect of a decent job.

ENDS…

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National Ambulance Service: Unite members set to strike next month

Posted on April 14, 2026 by unitetheunion

Unite, which represents members working for the National Ambulance Service (NAS), has served notice of strike action on the Health Services Executive (HSE).

Unite and Siptu members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action due to management’s ongoing failure to implement the 2020 ‘Roles and Responsibilities Review’. In addition, a five per cent increase recommended under the Benchmarking II process has not been delivered.

The unions have notified the HSE of a work-to-rule from 11 May, and 24-hour strike action on 12 May, followed by a 48-hour stoppage on 19 May and a 72-hour stoppage on 26 May. The National Strike Committee, comprising representatives of Unite and Siptu on the Ambulance Representative Council and local union officials, will decide on further rolling strike action from 1 June.

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Fuel package: PAYE workers left behind … again

Posted on April 13, 2026 by unitetheunion

April 13th: Unite, which represents workers across Ireland, today said that the package of fuel supports announced last night by the Government would do little to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis being faced by ordinary PAYE workers.

The union said that workers were still counting the cost of a budget which failed to inflation- index tax bands for workers while distributing over a billion euros in tax giveaways for hospitality business and developers.

Unite’s Irish secretary Susan Fitzgerald said: “Instead of providing a package of support to households and moving to rein in profiteering by energy providers, the Government fell back on its old playbook and focused on buying off sectional interests.

“PAYE workers have been left behind yet again. 

“With war in the Middle East showing no signs of abating, the cost-of-living crisis is set to worsen. The best way for workers to defend their living standards is to organise in a union, develop workplace power and secure inflation-busting pay increases at the negotiating table or on the picket line”.

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Energy costs: Workers will not pick up tab for another crisis

Posted on April 12, 2026 by unitetheunion

Trade union action needed to force Government to address spiralling cost-of-living crisis   

Unite member consultation to assess energy cost impact 

Unite, which represents workers throughout Ireland, said today (Sunday) that public support for the fuel protests reflects anger at the government’s pitiful response to spiralling energy prices, and demanded that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis facing workers be front and centre of any new package of measures developed by the government.

Last month, Unite released the results of a survey of public sector workers showing that 80 per cent of respondents had to cut back on essential spending over the past year, with a third forced to borrow to meet household costs. The survey was largely undertaken before the current crisis began.

Unite’s Irish Executive Committee is clear that backing our members at this time of crisis is a priority, and the union is currently engaged in direct consultation with members across all sectors of the economy to identify the impact of the latest energy price rises.

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