Translink 'has no more money' to increase pay offer

Translink has said it has no more money to offer public transport workers who have been striking over pay.

On Tuesday, Unite, GMB and Siptu confirmed their members had "decisively voted to reject" a pay offer.

The offer tabled by Translink management was a 5% increase plus a one-off payment of £1,500 for the 2023/24 financial year.

In February, transport workers' unions suspended planned strike action to give Translink time to make a pay offer.

On Wednesday, Translink chief executive Chris Conway told BBC News NI: "Translink doesn't have any more funding to address pay.

"We negotiated very hard, over a very long period of time to get to this deal."

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the unions said a 70% majority of bus and rail members rejected Translink's offer and unions will now enter fresh talks with management.

All three unions confirmed they will be meeting with Translink on Thursday.

The unions said discussions will also be held on the "next steps" during a period of "mounting recruitment and retention difficulties".

Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd says he is disappointed an agreement has not been reached to resolve the pay dispute

Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd told a Stormont committee on Wednesday he was disappointed an agreement had not been reached.

"I'm conscious that Translink and the unions are meeting," he said.

"They are going to discuss what options - if any - are available to either side, moving forward.

"I wish those discussions well and I don't want to say anything that would hinder those discussions.

"I think that when parties are around a table talking to each other - as we know as politicians - it's only beneficial, so I wish them well in those discussions."

Chris Conway said Translink had "negotiated hard" to get a deal

Mr Conway said there are currently no negotiations taking place.

"We are still waiting until the ballots are all completed and once they're completed then we'll decide what the next steps are," he said.

He was speaking on a site visit to the Yorkgate Station in north Belfast.

The future York Street Station will open in phases

It is being transformed into a new state-of-the-art station at a cost of more than £10m.

The new station, to be called York Street Station, is due to open at the end of next month.

It will open in phases over the course of the year.

The station is close to the new Ulster University campus in Belfast.