Bus and train strikes: Unions notify Translink of more action

Bus and train workers have warned Translink they will strike for another three days if there is no deal on pay rises.

The Unite, GMB and Siptu unions have notified Translink of the 72-hour action for 27, 28 and 29 February.

The unions said no negotiations had been held and no pay offers made and that the strike would go ahead unless there was an acceptable offer.

A Translink spokesperson said they were continuing to engage with the unions.

"Services are scheduled to operate as normal at present," the spokesperson added.

Officials from four trade unions representing school support staff have warned of potential further strike action after meeting with Education Minister Paul Givan on Tuesday.

Transport workers and teaching unions had suspended strike action scheduled for earlier in February to give the executive time to "make an improved pay offer".

They walked out on a number of days in December and January.

Mr Givan said that the current public sector budget was not enough to make a pay offer.

Paul Givan says there are "significant costs" associated with a resolution of current strike action

The minister confirmed that the funding provided to address public sector pay did not include an allocation for the Education Authority (EA) Pay and Grading review.

The review is separate from the annual pay award for support staff, it has been ongoing for six years and the business case was submitted in February 2023.

The minister confirmed his commitment to resolving the business case but unions said industrial action would not be suspended and expressed their disappointment at the continuing delays.

"I want all staff in the education sector to be paid at a fair level for the job they do, however there are significant costs associated with a resolution of current strike action," Mr Givan said.

He said he was "committed to resolving the issues around the business case" and will be bidding for additional funding in the executive's budget to enable the recommendations from the review to be implemented.

Doctors to walk out

On Tuesday, junior doctors in Northern Ireland confirmed they would strike for the first time.

They are due to take part in a 24-hour walkout from on 6-7 March.

Some 97.6% of junior doctors backed the strike action, which the British Medical Association (BMA) said showed they had no other choice.

In November 2023, teaching unions announced five days of strike action as part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Two of these went ahead, taking place on 29 November and 18 January.

The UK government is due to release a £3.3bn package now that power sharing has been restored at Stormont, about £580m of which is to settle public-sector pay claims.

On 18 January, 16 trade unions and tens of thousands of public sector workers took part in one of Northern Ireland's largest strikes, affecting many sectors including health.