Dale Farm farmers warned of risks from milk outsourcing plans

Posted on March 12, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Any move to de-recognise Unite will result in strike ballot of drivers at outsourced companies

Unite has warned Dale Farm of potential industrial action should plans to outsource milk collection threaten union rights. Unite represents around 60 farm collection tanker drivers at the company.

Dale Farm management intends to expand outsourcing of milk collection from 40 per cent to 75 per cent. Wauchope is to take on collection at Omagh with Pennybridge-based collection going to Milk Trans and Woodside.

Unite warns any move to derecognise the union by the new operators will be met with a strike ballot.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Unite opposes management plans to further outsource milk collection. There is absolutely logical or financial basis for this. Dale Farm is a highly successful business.

“Any threat to Unite’s recognition will be met with an immediate ballot of transferred drivers.”

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National Ambulance Service: Ballot continuing despite resolution of appointment and transfer issues

Posted on March 11, 2026 by unitetheunion

Unite slams six-year delay in implementing ‘Roles and Responsibilities Review’ recommendations

Management must ditch piecemeal approach and address all outstanding issues

Trade union Unite, which represents members working for the National Ambulance Service (NAS), today (Wednesday) welcomed confirmation by NAS management yesterday that Year 3 graduate paramedics will be offered permanent appointments and that management will adhere to the previously agreed transfer policy. This decision follows engagement with management by the Irish Ambulance Representative Council comprising Unite and Siptu.

Notwithstanding progress on the appointment and transfer issues, however, Unite said that it is continuing to ballot members for industrial action on foot of the ongoing failure to implement the 2020 ‘Roles and Responsibilities Review’. The ballot is set to conclude at the end of March.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

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Unite to ballot Nelipak workers for strikes in real living wage dispute

Posted on March 9, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Dismissal of workforce rep during pay negotiations will be fought for Unite by all means available

Unite is balloting its members at Nelipak, a manufacturer of sterile barrier systems for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, based in Derry/L’Derry, in a dispute over pay.

The low-paid workforce voted overwhelmingly to reject Nelipak’s inadequate pay offer. They are demanding the company become an accredited Living Wage employer, with workers being paid at least £13.45 an hour.

During the current pay dispute one of Unite’s workforce reps was dismissed and this has further damaged industrial relations at the site.

The ballot opens on Monday 16 March and closes on Thursday 2 April. If workers vote for industrial action, strikes could begin in the middle of next month.

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Northern Ireland SEN cuts threatened due to costs

Posted on March 4, 2026 by Unite the union NI
Sharon Graham discussing with striking SEN classroom assistants in a previous dispute

Unite will ballot workers at the Education authority in response to plans to cut the terms and conditions of school support workers.

In a further development, cost-cutting proposals have been made for a wider review of the system of SEN education to make it “financially sustainable”. This will impact the jobs and pay of school support workers as these are the biggest element of SEN education costs.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Stormont needs to step back from its attacks on school support workers. The rights of our members, and the rights of children with Special Educational Needs are not up for grabs.

“Our members have the full support of their union in the fight to defend themselves and the right of SEN children to access education.”

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Northern Ireland ambulance service response times more than twice target

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Lack of recruitment leaves no possibility of filling the NIAS staffing gap in next five years

Unite has challenged the ongoing failure of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) to meet its response time targets and called for a new ambitious approach to recruitment to fill the staffing gap. The union has released statistics highlighting the serious and consistent failure to meet targets for either category one or category two cases.

The latest available figures [Monday 2 March] were exceptionally poor. For category one call-outs (patient not breathing) against a target time of eight minutes, the average turnout was 19 minutes and seven seconds. The upper limit (90 per cent performance) target is 15 minutes – that figure yesterday was 49 minutes and 36 seconds.

For category two (including patients with suspected heart attacks but still breathing) the target is 18 minutes – yesterday the average was 56 minutes and 14 seconds (more than three times the target). The 90 percentile performance target is 40 minutes – this was two hours, 22 minutes and 27 seconds. [See note for editors below for last quarter figures].

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham blasted the figures, “The turnout times for ambulances in Northern Ireland are shocking. Lives are being lost because of the failure to recruit.

“Our members are being asked to pay the price of short staffing by being forced to cover shortages through family unfriendly shifts. It is long overdue for the minister of health to intervene to resolve this crisis.”

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