Staff At 11 Belfast City Council Leisure Centres To Take Strike Action

Staff at 11 Belfast City Council Leisure Centres are to take strike action over pensions and staffing, according to Unite the union.

Workers at Andersonstown, Whiterock, Falls Rd, Olympia, Ballysillan, Avoneill, Grove Well-being, Loughside, Ozone, Belvoir and Shankill Road Leisure Centres will begin a 'work to rule' and overtime ban next Tuesday, 24 May.

97 per cent of union members voted for strike action over Greenwich Leisure Ltd's (GLL) failure to deliver on pensions guarantee and staffing concerns.

Davy Edmont, Unite officer for workers at Belfast City Council's 11 Leisure Centres said: "Despite our opposition and concerns in regard to the decision by Belfast City Council to outsource the management of its eleven leisure facilities, Unite attempted to work collaboratively to secure the terms and conditions of our members and to safeguard the quality of the service offered to the public.

"Our members, who represent the overwhelming majority of staff working in these centres, were guaranteed that their pay and pensions would not be affected by the TUPE transfer. We also received guarantees from GLL that they would extend the same rights to any new staff taken on.

"Despite these assurances, GLL initially denied casual workers access to even a basic private sector pension, let alone automatic enrolment in the NILGOSC pension which was agreed between all parties.

"The original agreement was for full NILGOSC pension contributions for all workers to be underwritten by Belfast City Council. GLL has failed to abide by the terms of that agreement.

"Our members have expressed wider concerns over GLL's approach to managing these facilities. We are aware that untrained lifeguards are being employed at some swimming pools and have particular concerns about the adequacy of staff cover in case of an emergency evacuation."

(CD)