Brexit: Trade unions dispute Larne port threats claim

Mid and East Antrim Council withdrew workers from Larne Port

Three leading trade unions have distanced themselves from a council's account of alleged threats to workers conducting Brexit checks at Larne Port.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was told by its mayor that unions had raised concerns about "suspicious activity", including apparent attempts to record staff car registrations.

However, Nipsa, Unite and GMB said they made no such claim.

The council withdrew workers from Larne port over security concerns.

On Friday, that decision was overturned and workers returned to duty.

The trade unions have now written to the council asking for the disputed comments to be withdrawn, Belfast Live has reported.

The comments were made in a public statement by the mayor, DUP councillor Peter Johnston, during a council meeting on Monday.

It came as councillors agreed to withdraw 12 staff from the port.

'Amend official record'

The unions said their only communication with the council about threats to workers prior to Monday evening's decision was an email from Unite that afternoon about graffiti.

In a joint letter to the council, written on behalf of the unions by TUS secretary Alan Law, they called for the comments to be "withdrawn and the official record amended".

"As this was an official statement issued on behalf of council at the monthly meeting please would you clarify which trade union made this claim as neither Nipsa, GMB nor Unite did, and we absolutely distance ourselves from these remarks," the letter said.

The letter added that trade unions took "great exception" to the council issuing any statement attributing remarks to the unions.

Mr Law also wrote to the council's chief executive Anne Donaghy seeking clarification.

The council was not available for comment on Saturday.

Elected representatives 'need answers'

Alliance councillor Danny Donnelly told BBC News NI he was "very surprised and shocked" to hear the unions dispute claims that they had reported concerns about suspicious activity.

"Our priority has always been the safety of the workers on this, but each day more and more serious questions have developed," Mr Donnelly said.

Danny Donnelly said councillors want answers from the mayor and the council's chief executive

"The decision to withdraw staff was unanimous, based on the information we were given at the time, but now questions around the credibility of that threat have arisen and around communication with trade unions."

Mr Donnelly said elected representatives now need answers about the credibility of the threat and the timeline of events which led up to the decision to withdraw staff.

He called on the mayor and the council's chief executive to give councillors and opportunity to pose questions and "have those questions answered in an open and transparent manner".

• Council staff return to Larne port after threats

• Edwin Poots 'asked for port staff to be stood down'

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council took the decision to withdraw workers last Monday.

The council said it had carried out its own risk assessment and staff safety was its priority.

Physical checks were also temporarily suspended on most goods by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) at both Larne and Belfast.

It followed the appearance of graffiti in Larne on 21 January which referred to those involved in the work as targets.

There were also claims that staff car registrations had been recorded.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said there was nothing to indicate loyalist paramilitary involvement nor that registrations had been taken.

Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly were told during the week that former agriculture minister Edwin Poots was central to the decision to temporarily suspend physical checks and that he "was not convinced that the PSNI had a full understanding of the risk".

This article was amended on 8 February 2021 to remove an assertion that the council workers were withdrawn after a threat assessment by police.