Unions warn Belfast council of leisure centres strike threat 

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Unite the union NI

Patience of leisure workers at end, Greenwich Leisure Limited must provide clarity and transparency

Trade unions Unite and NIPSA have met Belfast city council management and warned them of the prospect of disruptive industrial action by leisure centre workers. The workforce is in a pay dispute with outsourced management company Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL).

Following disputes in late 2023, GLL recommitted to an updated recognition agreement with both unions. Despite this, management failed to engage with the unions and instead imposed a pay settlement for 2024. This month a new employee absence policy was imposed for GLL staff in the face of opposition by both unions.

Unite regional officer Kieran Ellison said: “Belfast council’s decision to outsource leisure services to GLL has been disastrous for both users and workers. GLL has imposed a two-tier workforce which undermined leisure workers’ pay and conditions.

“Our pressure led to a council promise that GLL would correctly recognise unions but to date GLL`s actions have undermined this. Our members’ patience has run out. Unless we see a dramatic change, both our unions will be left with no alternative but to ballot for strike action.”

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Government decision leaves most migrant care assistants below minimum wage 

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Unite the union NI

HCAs on existing contracts lose out on pay increase 

Unite has slammed a decision which will see most migrant health care assistants (HCAs) on general employment permits fall below the new national minimum wage which came into effect on 1 January.  

Migrant health care assistants on existing contracts will not benefit from the new government-mandated minimum annual remuneration of €30,000, which also took effect on 1 January but will only apply to those on new contracts. Workers on existing contracts will remain on a salary of just €27,000 – which is also below the threshold for family reunification. 

The increase in the government-mandated salary was originally due to take effect in January 2024 but was postponed a year following lobbying by employer groups. Even the €30,000 rate for new health care assistant recruits is still below the current non-European employment permit scheme standard minimum salary of €34,000. 

As well as earning less than the family reunification threshold, migrant workers on existing contracts will fall below the new national minimum age (NMW) of €13.50 per hour which also took effect on 1 January.  Workers on the NMW will earn €27,450 – €450 more than migrant HCAs on existing contracts.

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Navantia takeover offers hope for jobs and future of shipbuilding at Harland and Wolff

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Unite the union NI

Unite will engage now to ensure outcome will satisfy key trade union demands

Unite has welcomed today’s announcement that shipbuilder Navantia is to take on all four Harland and Wolff shipyards. 

The union will now engage with the deal to make sure that commitments are delivered for the workforce at all four shipyards to transfer with no break to continuity of employment – meaning their pay, terms and conditions will be protected under the Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Earnings (TUPE) regulations.

Unite which is the largest union in the Harland and Wolff workforce. Workers, backed by the union, occupied the Belfast shipyard for eleven weeks in 2019 to defeat the last threat of closure. Unite has once again been active with the aim of securing an outcome that both guarantees jobs and a future for the industry.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Unite has been working day and night to secure the interests of the workers at Harland and Wolff and the future of the UK’s shipbuilding industry. After countless meetings with government, the employer, and prospective buyers, we now have a good news story offering real hope for the future. Unite will always do whatever it takes to fight for workers’ interests.”

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A cruel Christmas for care workers separated from children

Posted on December 16, 2024 by unitetheunion

Government accused of ‘institutionalising new gender pay gap’

Unite writes to party leaders demanding reform of ‘inhuman regime’

Unite has today (Monday) written to party leaders demanding urgent reform of the work permit regime which will see thousands of care workers spend Christmas without their families.

Migrant health care assistants (HCAs) working in nursing homes and home care settings throughout Ireland are unable to bring their families to live with them due to the fact that their government-mandated salaries are below the family reunification earnings thresholds.

While the government-mandated minimum salary will rise in January for those on new contracts, this will only enable workers to bring their spouse to live with them since the re-unification earnings threshold increases for each additional family member, leaving families facing impossible choices.

A lack of retrospection means HCAs on existing contracts will be excluded from the increase in January, leaving many HCAs on a salary below the family reunification threshold.

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Water workers end industrial dispute after accepting long overdue pay offer

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Unite the union NI

Unite warns Northern Ireland Water cannot remain a low pay employer

Members of Unite employed in NI Water and NI Water Alpha have voted decisively to accept a pay offer providing a five per cent increase and a one-off payment of £1,500. The pay deal was for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and has already been provided to all other civil service workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Thankfully sense has prevailed and the frontline workers who maintain the fresh water and waste water infrastructure have finally been given a pay increase all other civil servants have already received.

“Nonetheless it is shocking that it took planned strike action for ministers to authorise a long overdue pay award. The pay deal was only won through union strength and a willingness to take industrial action.”

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