Civil Service pay strike to hit offices throughout NI

Escalating industrial action by the public service trade union NIPSA is to lead to the closure of some government offices as a dispute about the 2003 pay increase for Northern Ireland Civil Service staff continues.

The offices of the Industrial Tribunal and the Fair Employment Tribunal have been closed by a three-day strike. According to NIPSA all tribunals have had to be cancelled adding to a backlog of cases.

The start of what the union described as "selective strike action" was marked by walkouts from many civil service offices as the union staged rallies throughout Northern Ireland. The biggest rally was held in Belfast at the Spires Centre at lunchtime on Friday.

NIPSA’s General Secretary Mr John Corey said: “We regret this disruption to public services and we are not in the business of penalising the public. However, we have been left with no alternative but to step up the industrial action. The fact remains that civil service staff in Northern Ireland have been denied any ‘cost of living’ increase in their rates of pay from April 2003 and the dispute will not be resolved until that fundamental issue is addressed.”

Last month civil servants in the province were involved in a one-day strike and since then have been on a ‘work to rule’.

The union claim that despite requests for negotiations to resolve the dispute management had threatened staff with suspension for exercising their legal right to take industrial action.

The union have been outraged by settlements of up to 9% for senior civil servants.

Further action is planned and on Monday staff in Strabane Social Security Office are set to start a week-long strike.

As part of a new tactic key groups of civil servants are to take selective strike action and other government offices that are likely to be hit in coming weeks include MOT centres, driving tests centres, vehicle tax offices and meat plants.

(SP)