Translink: NI buses and trains cancelled for third day

The strike action is due to due to finish at midnight

Businesses and shoppers across Northern Ireland faced a day of disruption on Saturday as bus and train staff staged strike action over pay.

It was the second consecutive day of industrial action by Translink staff and the third walk out this month.

Union leaders said members had no alternative but to strike due to attempts to "instigate a pay freeze".

Public transport was brought to a halt, with Translink apologising for "any inconvenience" caused.

It said it did not receive a budget for a pay offer from the Department for Infrastructure and therefore could not strike a deal with workers.

The strike ended at midnight and normal Sunday servies are expected to run.

Trade union members from Unite, GMB and Siptu voted in favour of the walk out in November.

Bus driver Paul Shields, who was on a picket line in Belfast on Saturday, said that the strike "would go on as long as needs be".

"At the end of the day, there is a cost of living crisis, loads of us are really struggling including myself," he said.

Mr Shields said workers were feeling the pinch, but that the strike was "a sacrifice they had to make".

Unions have called on Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to fund a pay rise for transport staff to avoid strike action.

He has been engaged in talks with Stormont's largest parties this week about the restoration of the executive, with a £2.5bn financial package on offer from the UK government.

This would include provision for public sector pay increases.

Bus driver Paul Shields said workers want a fair pay offer

GMB regional organiser for Translink, Peter Macklin, said: "The reality is that Mr Heaton-Harris is now openly seeking to weaponise the suffering of public sector workers and the general public to blackmail the parties to do a deal."

Colin Neill, of Hospitality Ulster, said the strikes were "severely damaging the industry".

"We have appealed to the unions relentlessly to call off the strike, particularly when the dynamic and the politics have changed so much.

"We have all the parties in Hillsborough talking so there's hope that we might get our politicians back in the assembly and that will mean that Translink get a budget and the unions get a pay negotiation."

Takings down in Bangor

Colin Smyth, whose confectionery shop is near the bus depot in Bangor, County Down, said he was at least 50% down in terms of his "normal takings" over the last three days.

"It is affecting me a lot," he said.

Colin Smyth from Bangor, County Down, said his business had seen a reduction in takings

"They have a right to strike, but I think January would have been a better month.

"Christmas is a big time for a lot of retailers and you need that money coming in to make you survive through January."

The Europa bus centre in Belfast was deserted on Saturday morning

Conor Neeson, reporting from Belfast city centre

The weekend before Christmas is normally one of the busiest shopping periods in Belfast but the transport strike has put a spanner in the works.

Those who have braved the journey in by car will have to fork out for parking, with those I spoke to saying it has limited the amount of time they are prepared to spend in the town.

Some are here out of necessity picking up the last of the Christmas presents, while others have tried to take advantage of a quieter city centre.

Is it the calm before the storm or will it remain a silent night?

Nick Clough from Belfast's Fish City said they had lost 60% of their bookings for Friday and Saturday.

"It's quite difficult at this time because December is normally the period where you are at your busiest."

Lesa McCann at the Cellar Bar said there had been 25 cancellations and a lot fewer walk-ins

Meanwhile in Lurgan, Lesa McCann at the Cellar Bar said there were 25 cancellations and a lot fewer walk-ins on Friday.

"You've people that would come in to go the Credit Union, that come in to go to their bakery, their butcher, the post office.

"On their way home they would call in for a coffee, a wee bit to eat and then they'll go on home, so we have lost out on that."

Davy Thompson from Unite said the action being taken was "both proportionate and reasonable".

He said that strike action was a "very last resort", adding: "The secretary of state with the stroke of a pen could fix this."

Another day of industrial action is planned for 22 December.