Move follows company breach of collective agreement
Management must act to avoid escalation
Unite, which represents workers throughout the energy sector, said today (Wednesday) that members in Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action after the company breached collectively agreed procedures in relation to a member.
Earlier this month, GNI attempted to convert a Unite member’s legitimate grievance into a disciplinary action while denying their right to be represented during the process, as required under long-standing collectively-agreed procedures.
Over 150 workers to down tools in pursuit of decent pay
Workers at Anglo Beef Processors UK (ABP) Craigavon plant, where Unite represents over 150 meat packers, trimmers, distribution, kill line and boning workers, have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action.
Unite is seeking a fair pay increase for its members who are paid a piece rate. Management’s offer of three per cent with a one-off cash payment of £100 and three per cent from April 2026, would amount to a real terms pay cut. The strike will see shortages in beef and lamb on the shelves of many supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi and Iceland.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “ABP’s success has been built by workers. The company can well afford to pay a decent pay increase but instead is choosing to squeeze our members’ living standards to maximise profits.
“The ABP workers at Craigavon can count on Unite’s full support in their fight for fair pay.”
ABP UK is part of ABP Foods group whose most recent accounts [for 2023] reported revenue increasing 75 percent to €624.8 million with gross profits of €68.6 million and net pre-tax profits of more than €4 million. €5.3 million in dividends was paid by the group in the year.
All out strike action by the workers will commence from 00.01am on Monday 27October.
Regional officer Sean Smyth said: “If ABP management wants to avoid severe disruption of their Craigavon plant, they need to return to the negotiating table and agree a fair deal for members.”
“Viability” euphemism for “super-profitability” as builder tax breaks cost workers over half billion Euro
Trade union Unite, which represents construction workers throughout Ireland, today (Friday) said that the goodie-bag of VAT cuts and corporation tax sweeteners for big builders unveiled in Tuesday’s Budget will see profits-per-apartment top €70,000.
Last year, the Total Development Costs report published by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage estimated the profit on a completed urban two-bed apartment at over €48,000. The Budget VAT cut alone would swell that profit by nearly €20,000. Other corporation tax measures will further boost builders’ bottom lines.
The CEO of Cairn Homes has stated that the Budget measures, coupled with the reduction in minimum apartment standards announced in the summer, will probably be worth between €70,000 and €80,000 per apartment.
While not all developments will attract all the Budget tax breaks, even the most conservative estimate will see profit-per-apartment top €70,000.
Unite to ballot members following failure of department of health to deliver pay parity and safe staffing
Unite is to ballot over 4,500 workers in Northern Ireland’s health and social care system, for industrial action. This follows the failure of the department of health to deliver on pay parity and safe staffing.
The union has members among professional and technical staff, including porters, as well as among paramedics in the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Workers in Northern Ireland deserve the same pay as their NHS colleagues. The failure to deliver pay parity and safe staffing has left our members with no alternative but to ballot for strike action. Health and social care workers in Northern Ireland have the full support of Unite in their fight for fairness and respect.”
Workers pay for business tax breaks as government fails to index tax bands
Housing crisis will not be solved by patchwork of subsidies and tax giveaways
Responding to Budget 2026, trade union Unite warned today that many workers will be running to stand still following the government’s decision to focus on tax breaks for builders and burger chains rather than inflation-proofing income tax bands at a time when workers are facing an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The union also strongly criticised the government’s continued reliance on market subsidies rather than expanding public provision of vital services such as childcare and housing.
Unite the Union, Ireland Region 