Strikers to target farmers in civil service pay dispute
Striking civil servants will attempt to hit the payment of grants and subsidies to Northern Ireland’s thousands of farmers when they extend industrial action next week, it was announced today.
Up to 120 members of public service union NIPSA based in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development payments branch in Derry will go on indefinite strike next Wednesday, said the union.
As many as 50 more staff in the Social Security Agency’s Incapacity Benefits Branch in Belfast are also going on strike.
In recent weeks NIPSA has been intensifying industrial action which has been going on since mid December over pay.
Earlier this week union members involved in the payment of teachers salaries and pensions to retired teachers and health service staff went on indefinite strike.
Staff are also taking action in the Child Support Agency headquarters in Belfast, Driver and Vehicle Licensing offices across the province and three Rates Collection offices.
NIPSA general secretary John Corey blamed the refusal of ministers and senior management of the Civil Service to negotiate for the intensification of the action.
Civil Servants were going on strike because the had been treated “very badly and unfairly” he said.
“Every day that goes by without urgent and serious negotiations to resolve this dispute makes staff more angry and more determined,” he said.
It was time for the minister responsible and senior management to “face up to the seriousness of this situation,” he added.
