Uncertainty facing 250 workers after Carillion Northern Ireland-operation falls into liquidation must be lifted

Following confirmation earlier in the day that Carillion Energy Service, who provides Housing Executive maintenance work in Northern Ireland, had followed Carillion plc into liquidation, Jackie Pollock said:

“We have been in contact with both main parties in relation to this issue. I want to welcome the commitment we’ve received from both the DUP and Sinn Féin that they will support our demand for Carillion Energy Service employees to be taken into direct employment by Housing Executive. This is the only sensible route open after this morning’s announcement.

“Without this transfer, the workers have zero guarantee in regard to their continuity of employment. There is a real urgency in ensuring that they are now taken directly into employment through the Housing Executive’s Direct Labour Organisation (DLO)”.

Commenting on the union’s determination to secure the workforce’s employment status, Susan Fitzgerald, Regional Officer for Unite and Carillion workers said:

“We are committed to secure jobs. We have contacted our members to let them know that their employer has gone into liquidation and encourage them to attend a mass workforce meeting tomorrow [Friday, January 26^th] at 4.15pm. 

“Unite has said all along the only answer for tenants and workers is for direct employment by NIHE. There is no place for large-scale private companies in delivering a service to tenants, we have seen this approach fail time after time. It has to end now.

“The workforce has made it clear that they will fight for direct employment because no one wants to go through this again, the threat of redundancy which now hangs over our members following the liquidation announcement will only strengthen their resolve”.