Education Authority support staff to commence 48-hour strike action tomorrow over failure to deliver pay & grading review

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Unite the union NI

Union warns of significant disruption to school transport and to some schools on first day of strike ahead of wider industrial action

Communication from Department of Education confirms that business case for negotiated commitment has still not been submitted 

Almost 800 members of Unite the union working as school support staff will commence a 48-hour strike commencing at 00.01am tomorrow [15 November 2023]. Other school support staff unions – Unison, GMB and NIPSA – will join the strike on the second day in what will be one of the biggest strikes among non-teaching unions in years.

The latest action by Unite members follows a ballot which returned a 94 per cent majority for industrial action; a work-to-rule in the dispute commenced on October 23. The strike is likely to cause significant disruption to many schools given the concentration of Unite membership in school bus transport, catering, admin, cleaning, classroom assistants and other roles.

Continue reading →
Posted in Campaign for Decent Pay, Northern Ireland news, Press Releases, Public Services | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unite win for “Murphy 4”

Posted on November 10, 2023 by unitetheunion

Long running dispute ends in vindication for dismissed Murphy workers

Following a long-running battle to defend our members and reps, using Unite Leverage, Unite is delighted to announce a win for the Murphy 4.

Unite can confirm that the dispute, following the dismissal of four Unite members by MIL (an Irish subsidiary of the Murphy Group) from the Aughinish Alumunia site in August/September 2022, has been settled following negotiations between Murphy International and Unite the union.

While the exact terms of the settlement are confidential, Unite is able to disclose that offer of reinstatement was rejected by the four and that they have received compensation.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

Continue reading →
Posted in Press Releases, Republic of Ireland news | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Education Authority notified of 48-hour strike by Unite members seeking pay and grading review

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Unite the union NI

Education Authority notified of 48-hour strike by Unite members seeking pay and grading review

Unite claims responsibility for industrial action escalation lies wholly on Department of Education for obstructive behaviour

This afternoon, Unite the union notified the Education Authority of a 48-hour strike action commencing at 00.01am on 15 November 2023. This marks an escalation of a dispute over the employers’ failure to deliver a negotiated pay and regrading review which led to workers commencing a work-to-rule on 23 October.

The strike is likely to cause significant disruption to many schools given the concentration of Unite membership in school bus transport, catering, admin, cleaning, classroom assistants and other roles. The strike follows a ballot of Unite’s membership which returned a 94 per cent majority for industrial action.

Other Education Authority support staff trade unions are coordinating industrial action on 16 November – including Unison who have a 24-hour strike and NIPSA which is conducting targeted strike action.

The strike is the latest development in Unite’s ongoing industrial dispute over the failure to deliver a pay and grading review to education workers as part of a negotiated resolution of the 2022 pay dispute.

Unite has argued that the pay and regrading review is needed to ensure staff retention. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is simply unacceptable that the Department of Education continues to renege on the implementation of a pay and grading review that has been negotiated by the Education Authority with Unite.

“As a matter of urgency, the Education Authority must secure the necessary funding to avoid further escalation of strike action in Northern Ireland’s education sector.”

Continue reading →
Posted in Campaign for Decent Pay, Northern Ireland news, Press Releases, Public Services | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vista Therm workers to commence new wave of industrial action tomorrow

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Unite the union NI

Strike action to recommence by the workforce at Vista Therm after Unite reballoted over management union-busting

Industrial action follows previous twelve-week strike for cost of living pay increase and union recognition

Unite the union has served notice on Vista Therm, a specialist glass manufacturer based at Silverwood Business Park, Craigavon that a new wave of industrial action by its members will commence with a 24-hour strike from 00.01am tomorrow, Monday [November 6th]. Workers will be establishing pickets outside the workplace from 7am to 8.30am in the morning and between 3pm and 4.30pm in the afternoon.

The latest action occurs after the union’s membership voted with a 97 per cent majority for strike action over management union-busting activities. During the previous period of strike action, management dismissed two young workers and suspended another two, including a Unite shop steward.

The Vista Therm workforce overwhelmingly comprises foreign nationals including a large majority of workers whose first language is Polish or Ukrainian. The industrial dispute represents a touchstone case for the wider exploitation of foreign national workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The Vista Therm workers are at the cutting edge of the fight to improve working conditions for foreign-national workers in Northern Ireland. The fact that this employer has engaged in brutal union-busting tactics will be challenged and defeated.

“The Vista Therm workers are to be commended for their commitment to defending their union and themselves. They can count on the full and continuing support of Unite in their fight.”

Continue reading →
Posted in Campaign for Decent Pay, Manufacturing, Northern Ireland news, Press Releases | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unions demand urgent meeting with Secretary of State in campaign for a pay increase for bus and rail workers

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Unite the union NI

Joint Unite-GMB-SIPTU News Release

DfI permanent secretary tells trade unions that inadequate budget leaves him unable to properly fund public transport

Unite, GMB and SIPTU members working in Translink continue to vote in unprecedented coordinated industrial ballot

A delegation of Translink workplace reps and union officers from Unite, GMB and SIPTU met with the permanent secretary of the Department for Infrastructure Denis McMahon this week (Wednesday 1 November). The delegation warned tht workers are set to vote for strike action over a proposed pay freeze by Translink management.

The permanent secretary expressed regret that he was unable to provide ‘clarity’ on a timeframe for improved public transport funding to allow bus and rail workers to receive a fair pay increase as his “department does not have the resources it needs”.

All three unions have now written to secretary of state for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris, who has responsibility for setting the budget for departments in the absence of a functioning Stormont executive. They are seeking a meeting on the funding of public transport services to allow for a pay increase for Translink workers. 

If transport workers vote for industrial action, industrial action could commence from early December. Any industrial action would bring Northern Ireland to a standstill and have a huge impact on the economy.

The anniversary date (when a pay increase was due) for these pay negotiations was April 2023 and the twelve-month inflation at that point using RPI – the most accurate measure – was 11 per cent. That means in real terms workers are facing more than a 11 per cent pay cut.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is entirely unacceptable that during the worst cost of living crisis in generations, public transport workers are faced with a pay freeze. Our members cannot bear such a burden. The secretary of state has to act and act immediately to avoid an escalating industrial dispute.”

Continue reading →
Posted in Campaign for Decent Pay, Northern Ireland news, Press Releases, Public Services | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment