Civil Servants Gear Up For Strike Action

A one-day strike by local civil servants will go ahead tomorrow, Friday 24 January.

Members of NIPSA, Northern Ireland's largest public sector union, will take to the picket lines to fight their case for a decent pay rise and enhanced terms and conditions of employment.

The public is advised to expect disruption at local Jobs and Benefits Offices, Universal Credit Processing Centres, Rating Offices and Veterinary Officers.

Frustration and anger has been growing among civil servants in recent weeks who feel they are not treated with the same urgency as health workers, the union has warned.

NIPSA representatives met Finance Minister Conor Murphy who pledged to press the Treasury for more money to resolve the dispute.

However without mention of a pay offer in the 'New Decade, New Approach' deal for Stormont's resolution and news of a proposed £1,000 pay increase for MLAs, NIPSA General Secretary Alison Millar said the action will go ahead.

"Members are angry that they have not had a resolution to their long running dispute on the issue of pay, terms and conditions," Ms Millar said.

"NIPSA did meet with the Finance Minister on Wednesday evening and he acknowledged the work carried out by thousands of civil servants, particularly when the NI Assembly was not functioning and indicated a desire to seek to resolve the long running NICS Pay, Terms and Conditions Dispute. He indicated that the NI Executive had met earlier in the day and the issue of the finances was of major concern.

"The Minister further indicated he had given his officials scope to commence the negotiations and NIPSA will engage with the Management Side today as a first step in seeking to resolve the dispute. It was made clear however that our action would continue until a resolution of the dispute was secured which would be acceptable to members."

DAERA Direct Offices, the Public Prosecution Service, Tribunals and many other civil service areas face disruption ahead of tomorrow's action.



(JG/CM)